74 
OBSERVATIONS ON SOUNDNESS. 
the case tried before him, that it was a vice. This is perplexinj^. 
I do not know how veterinary surgeons are to be expected to give 
opinions in a court of law upon crib-biting with all this before 
their eyes without subjecting themselves to ridicule. In every 
instance it has been shown—or, at least,the authors have stated 
their belief—that crib-biting begins in dyspepsia, and that it is 
likely to go on to produce structural derangement of parts 
within the alimentary canal. It may naturally be asked, when 
are we to make up our minds as to the actual moment structural 
derangement commences? What symptoms are present in a 
crib-biting horse to lead to the inference that a lesion of any 
portion of the alimentary canal has taken place ? Until veteri¬ 
nary surgeons can direct one^s attention to some particular 
appearance of an animal addicted to this habit, I think it is pre¬ 
suming too much to say this or that crib-biter is a sound animal, 
without running a risk of being censured by one party. We 
all know many horses to have been crib-biters all their lives, 
or nearly so, and which have fed, worked, and looked well. 
This, however, is no proof that they are not diseased. I dare 
say hundreds of veterinary surgeons can point to as many 
thousands of horses whose constitutions are at fault, in some 
way or other; still they do their work satisfactorily. This 
does not prove that they are not unhealthy. I knew a horse 
whose neck-strap was always carried upon the harness-collar 
during his work—a distance of twelve miles out and the same 
number of miles in—every day; yet this animal was an 
extremely good one as a poster. 
I have made no remarks in particular with reference to 
wind-sucking.^^ These two habits are, in my opinion, so 
closely allied to each other, as regards both being produced 
by indigestion, that there is no necessity for it. The same 
remarks are applicable to the wind-sucking as to the crib- 
biting horse. I may, however, enpassant advert to one 
circumstance which corroborates the observations of Professor 
Spooner, that in all cases of death from disease, when the 
subject of it happened to be a crib-biter, and the patient 
lias died somewhat speedil}^ I have observed the coats of 
the stomach to have an unhealthy appearance. I have the 
case of a crib-biter at this moment; I have often watched 
him, and sometimes for hours he seems to be free from the 
habit, while at another time he is particularly engaged in the 
act; but as it does not seem to interfere with his work, no 
notice is taken of it, the owner not wishing to have an anti¬ 
crib-biting collar employed. 
I think the subject may be disposed of in a few words. 
In the first place, nature never intended a horse to crib. 
