CRIli-BlTING. 
85 
between every heat! At all events, he has water put into his 
mouth out of a bottle, and often made to swallow some; but 1 do 
not recollect having seen even coughing produced by the act. The 
simplicity of the liquid, however, may account for its harmlessness 
in this case. 
The late discussions on crib-biting, and its effects, have amused 
and instructed me; but I am still of opinion, that, as regards the 
cause, although we possess a few general ideas, they are too un¬ 
satisfactory and insufficient for well warranted conclusions. Mr. 
Bracy Clark thinks it probable, that bad digestion and foul feeding 
are oftener the consequence than the cause of this malady, in 
which I agree with him; nevertheless, when the cause is removed 
by good grooming and physic, ought not the effect to cease ? He 
also says, the crib-biting horse has generally a lean constricted 
appearance, and other symptoms of very bad condition. I do not 
go this length. - I have seen, at least, a hundred crib-biting hunters 
in my life, many of them in the very finest condition, and pos¬ 
sessed one myself, of which I could have said as much. Few 
large studs, in fact, are without one or two that require the neck- 
strap ; and with this precaution they cannot, generally, crib to hurt 
themselves. One of the worst cribbers I ever saw was in the 
Badmingtoii stables, last winter; a grey horse, called Snowdon, a 
splendid hunter, and one which 300 guineas would not purchase. 
Strapping the neck with this horse is of no use, and his manger 
is defended by a spiked roller. It is, in my opinion, quite idle to 
talk of a cure for this propensity in horses; but it is no unsound¬ 
ness, unless under a warranty against vice, although I would not 
sell a crib-biting horse without mentioning the fact. It would be 
considered an ungentlemanlike act in the sporting world. 
I merely look upon crib-biting as a trick or habit productive of 
some pleasing sensation to the animal. Did it proceed from a vi¬ 
tiated state of the stomach, we should find it cease after proper 
treatment of that viscus, as we find a horse leaves off licking the 
wall after a few doses of alterative medicine*. Besides, racing- 
colts in the Jdghest state of health would not acquire it, if such 
was the cause; but they do acquire it as a trick or habit. In 
fact, although not constituting unsoundness, it is a vice; and if a 
crib-biter is sold with a warranty of “ free from vice,” he is, de¬ 
cidedly, returnable. 
Mr. Clark attributes crib-biting, to a certain extent, to catching 
hold of the manger when being dressed. I think this has nothing 
to do with it; but if it had, no valuable horse should ever be 
* A short time back an old marc of mine took to licking the wall. A few 
powders of resin and sulphur, mixed, stopped her. 
VOL. XIII. M 
