94 CRIBBING. 



bite. After forcing obedience, encourage every act of do- 

 cility. Be continually on the watch for danger and punish 

 energetically for aggression, but immediately encourage 

 obedience by kind, affectionate treatment. 



CEIBBINQ. 



Cribbing, so far as we are able to learn or judge, is a 

 habit. There may be constitutionally predisposing causes, 

 but it is certain, whatever the pretentions of any one, I 

 have never been given any proof of ability to break up the 

 habit with medicine. Horses will not crib on anything 

 that is lower than the knees. Hence the treatment of 

 tearing away the manger and feeding on the floor, or in a 

 basket. Sometimes sawing between the teeth will stop the 

 habit. 



There is but one practical plan of breaking up this habit, 

 and the success of that will depend very much upon the 

 skill displayed in making the adjustment. 



The act of cribbing induces considerable contraction of 

 the muscles of the neck, and the larynx is forced down 

 much beyond its natural position. This then is the key 

 through which we must act. Have the throat-latch of the hal- 

 ter hang on a line with the top of the head to the junction of 

 the neck with the head. Take a piece of strap, (good firm 

 leather,) about five inches in length, and as wide as the 

 throat-latch. Drive ten ounce tacks in a row along the 

 center of this strap, three-eighths of an inch apart. File 

 the points sharp and of an equal length. Lay this strap on 

 the inside of the throat-latch where it crosses the larynx, 

 wind a piece of waxed thread around both, at the center 

 and ends of the short strap. Buckle the throat-latch just 

 long enough so that it will not touch the neck when eating 

 or drinking, but will press sharply at the least attempt to 

 crib. The result is that at every attempt to crib the tacks 

 will stick into the neck, which will hurt and disconcert the 

 horse from doing so. 



The point of success will really depend upon the perfec- 

 tion and care with which this is kept adjusted. If there is 

 large muscular development on the neck or thick necked, 

 the strap must be buckled shorter than when the neck is 

 well cut out, as it is termed. Make the reproof severe at 



