CRIB-BITING. 
201 
I need hardly inform you, that the professional evidence be¬ 
fore you is of that irreconcilable nature, that, taken en masse , 
“ it would puzzle a conjuror*’ to elicit any legitimate or rational 
conclusion whatever from it; but, should you feel yourselves at 
liberty to select the evidence of any one or even two indivi¬ 
duals, to the exclusion of the others, you will find you are borne 
out by it, come to whatever conclusion you may. To exemplify 
this, J trust 1 shall be able satisfactorily to prove to you, that 
crib-biting* may be viewed either as merely a habit, or as a vice, 
or as a disease; and afterwards abundantly to demonstrate to 
you, from the same chain of evidence, that it amounts either to un¬ 
soundness, or is perfectly consistent with the contrary or healthy 
state. 
Crib-biting is a habit. 
Mr. James Turner, V.S., has stated, “ that crib-biting*, in his 
opinion, was, in a greater number of instances, a habit contract¬ 
ed by imitation. It could not be considered as a vice, inasmuch 
as crib-biters were generally perfectly tractable to ride or drive, 
and they did no danger to their owners.” 
Mr. Geo. Gosden , V.S., has stated, that “ crib-biting was nei¬ 
ther a vice nor an unsoundness.” “ And my experience leads me 
to believe, that it generally arises from imitation.” 
Mr. Lythe , V.S., has stated, that “ crib-biting was not a vice, 
unless it disposed the horse to some bodily mischief; and also 
that the habit arose frequently from want of food, and fre¬ 
quently from irritation and he mentioned an instance of the 
latter.” 
Professor Coleman has stated, that “ horses had the habit of 
crib-biting in different degrees.” 1 
I shall next produce to you, gentlemen, evidence to shew that 
Crib-biting is a vice. 
Mr. Bracy Clark was of opinion, “ that crib-biting was one of 
the worst vices in a horse. It had always been considered as a 
vice.” 
Professor Coleman. —“ A crib-biter might be a vicious horse , 
but not necessarily so because he was a crib-biter.” 
Thirdly , 1 shall shew you, gentlemen, that 
Crib-biting is both a vice and a habit; 
or, if you [ftease to have it so, a combination of the two. 
Mr. Sewell , the assistant professor , has stated, that “ crib- 
biting was a vicious habit in horses.” 
Fourthly , I shall prove to you, gentlemen, that 
Crib biting is a disease. 
Professor Coleman has stated, u that crib-biting frequently 
