414 ON THE HABITS AND VICES OF HORSES. 
neck will not prevent this practice.; indeed it is difficult to say 
what will. A muzzle with some small spikes at the bottom is 
perhaps the best thing. Cutting a piece off the end of the tongue 
1 have heard is sometimes practised in the racing stables. I be¬ 
lieve, however, that most horses will continue it, in spite of any 
thing; and, for my own part, I consider this habit quite as bad 
as cribbiting. 
Weaving is an unsightly habit enough, but not of so much 
consequence as either of the foregoing. It consists in the ani¬ 
mal’s darting his head in quick succession from one side of the 
stall to the other, like the action of the shuttle, or like the hyeena 
in his cage. In order to do this a horse places his fore-feet con¬ 
siderably apart, and is continually throwing the whole of his 
weight (at least the whole weight of his fore-quarters) upon the 
inside of each extremity alternately. Standing so much in this 
position is apt to give the hoof altogether a direction outwards, 
a deformity not unlike a man’s treading his boot on one side, and 
which may originate a cause of lameness. This habit at all times 
indicates a warm and restless temper ; and it seems to express an 
impatience of being tied up. A horse will weave the most when 
placed in a conspicuous light, or whilst any one is looking at him. 
A weaver should be placed in a corner, in the darkest situation in 
the stable, and kept tied up with one collar rein only. 
Of still less consequence are some of the habits perhaps that 
follow; which, like the last, are consequent upon the animal’s being 
tied up, and which I notice as we proceed, for the sake of regularity 
and order. 
Slipping the Collar is a trick that many horses get into: some 
do it so dexterously and so constantly, that they will always be 
loose the moment you turn your back. A strap round the neck 
or the web-head of a halter, made to slip only one way, will per¬ 
fectly prevent this practice. 
Pawing and Scraping the Litter, never allowing any of it to re¬ 
main under the fore-feet, is an unsightly habit, and a source of 
annoyance to the groom, who, to prevent this, often puts shackles 
or fetters upon a horse’s fore-legs; and the only objection to this 
practice is, that it sometimes hinders a horse from lying down. 
Rolling in the Stall is another troublesome habit, which some 
horses will indulge in to such a degree as to be found cast almost 
every morning; and whilst in this situation they are very apt to 
struggle and lame themselves. To obviate this, a horse should 
be tied with length enough of collar rein to lie down, but not to 
allow of his head resting on the ground ; because, in order to roll 
over, a horse is obliged to place his head quite down upon the 
ground. 
