150 STABLE ECONOMY. 



tached to them. But one must be careful not to give so 

 many as to cause scouring.] 



Wind-sucking and Crib-biting are spoken of in connexion 

 with the management of defective and diseased horses. 



STABLE VICES. 



Horses are often termed vicious when they have no vice. 

 Docile but bold horses may be excited to retaliate upon those 

 who abuse them. They never strike but when they are 

 struck ; they are obstinate, but should not be called vicious ; 

 they are sullen and often refuse to perform painful exertions ; 

 they require nothing but gentle treatment. Punishment in- 

 variably makes them more dangerous, and ultimately quite 

 vicious, even to ferocity ; they learn to give injury when none 

 is offered. Some, especially mares, often feign that they are 

 going to bite or strike, yet never do any intentional mischief ; 

 they merely desire to attract attention, and to be made pets 

 of. The very best of horses often have this peculiarity. A 

 foolish or timed groom is apt to deal too harshly with them. 

 They may scowl and grind their teeth ; they may present 

 their quarters, and even lift a foot as if in the act to strike, or 

 they may fix their teeth in the man's jacket, but it is all in 

 play. The best way is not to mind them, or at most to give 

 tnem warning with the voice. It is a pleasing kind of fa- 

 miliarity which need not offend nor alarm any one. Good 

 horsemen generally like it as indicative of energy and en- 

 durance ; and I think such horses become sooner and more 

 warmly attached to persons about them than others of a heed 

 less disposition. 



Some horses are perfectly quiet to the groom, but very 

 quarrelsome in the company of other horses ; this is the case 

 with mares more than with geldings, but it is common enough 

 in geldings too : they bite or strike a strange horse the mo- 

 ment he comes in reach, but seem to get reconciled to him 

 after a little acquaintance. Horses of this kind should always 

 work with the same companion, and stand in the next stall to 

 him ; they never work well with strangers ; and in the stable, 

 when standing beside strangers, they are so intent upon mis- 

 chief, that they neither feed nor rest. 



All vicious horses are most easily managed by one person. 

 I have often met with instances of balling, shoeing, and 

 similar operations, being strenuously resisted when attempted 

 by a number of persons, and yet easily performed when taken 



