Chapter XIII. 



MISCELLANEOUS HABITS. 

 Cribbing. 



s 



THIS is a habit for which there has been no practical remedy. 

 Many claim that it is caused by indigestipn, and that by neu- 

 tralizing the gas generated in the stomach in consequence, a 

 horse will cease to crib. Mr. O. H. P. Fancher, who thirty years 

 ago traveled extensively as a professional horse-tamer, and who is 

 Specially referred to in the first chapter as claiming to tame horses 

 by the use of certain scents of medicines, was the most pretentious ad- 

 vocate 6f this theory ; .but I have never 

 known, on any reliable authority, of any case 

 being cured by use of medicine. It has also 

 been claimed that cribbing is caused by the 

 teeth pressing too closely against one an- 

 other, a reliable remedy for which is sawing 

 between them. I have known of a great 

 many cases treated in this way, but without 

 any success, except that in some cases the 

 habit is prevented for a time by the soreness 

 produced by the filing. Driving wedges 



PlG ' f f'J"/ K H K° rM ln tKe between the teeth has also been 1 resorted to, 

 Acl of Cribbing. 



the effect of which would be so much pain 



as to prevent the horse from cribbing for some time. 



A horse will not crib on anything that is lower than the knees, 

 consequently a practical way to prevent the habit is to tear away the 

 manger, and feed the horse from the floor or from a basket. \ 



To break up the habit the only practical remedy is punishment, 

 as hereafter explained. 



Saturate the manger, neck-yoke, and straps, if inclined to bite 

 them, with kerosene oil. Rubbing the parts bitten upon with strong 

 fly-blister, may next be tried ; or get cayenne or red pepper pods, 

 boil down to a strong decoction, and wash the parts the horse may 

 be inclined to bite upon thoroughly with the solution. To be re- 

 peated at least once a week, for a month or more. The object is to 

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