Some words

[BobbyHughes]

Comrades,

I have a friend who is employed by the Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History, who in going over some letters by a Confederate soldier has come across a word that is vexing her.... and that I am unsure of myself. having exhausted the resources at hand, the search function,and searches on the net, I ponder here, has anyone come across the word Stumpsucker? and any idea what it means??
Thanks!

[yeoman]

Re: Some words

Sir, I'll pass this along and see if it fits.
"Mister you got yourself a horse: Tales of old-time horse trading, by Roger Walsch". I'll quote "The stump sucker. From the high Plains of Texas to the Prairie Plains of the Dokatos they were called stump suckers and in the East they were called cribbers. Everywhere they were trouble and gave more ammunition to nagging wives than any creature that walked the earth before the pick-up truck. The horse showed no flaws whatever until the original owner was well out of sight, and then the effects were indeed spectacular".
As I said, I pass this along to see if it fits in your works context.

[Mark Choate]

Re: Some words

Mel is exactly correct with the direction of his quote regarding a "stumpsucker". The more prevalent word is a "cribber" or more clearly a horse who has developed the habit of cribbing. Cribbing is where a horse will place it's front teeth on usually a wood surface (fence, stall door, stump, etc.) and will pull down and will swallow air. It does not injure the horse, but can cause them to not take feed as they should due to the false feeling of being full. It often times comes when a horse is kept up in a stall a lot and becomes bored. I have seen other horses "learn" the habit from watching another "cribber". There are collars and such that can prevent it to an extent, but it is really a negative thing because the horse will destroy the fences, doors etc. with this pulling process. Strange thing to watch, for certain. This term of "stumpsucker" is an old term for this problem and if applied to a person, it would not have been flattering, for sure! :D

Mark

[BobbyHughes]

Re: Some words

Thanks fellers... we think we got it narrowed down to possibly a derogatory term for a lazy person

[Hank Trent]

Re: Some words

Here's an example, using the literal meaning of a cribbing horse to apply metaphorically to a worthless person, implying a lot of random restless nervous energy that accomplishes nothing and makes no progress. The word "her" is referring to scientific medicine personified and the whole speech is a defense of scientific medicine against its opponents.

Why, then, should her enlightened friends and vindicators fear the flippant philippics of certain penny politicians, whose bellowsed sides yet heave in the bootless chase for fame, or the venomous kicks of those starveling stump-suckers, who feed upon the wind, and trot at bridle-length around the posts of their empirical dogmas, fiercely envious of the progress of science and the triumphs of mind?

Hank Trent
hanktrent@gmail.com

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Some words

Hallo!

Just an aside...

Cribbing can be controversial.

Some believe that cribbing can lead to an increased chance of colic, flatulence, and digestion problems due to the air that is swallowed. And some equine insurance companies will not insure a known cribber.

There are a few studies that suggest very little air actually gets into the horse's stomach, and that the colic and flatulence is a side effect of the horse having worn down its teeth to the point it is not chewing its food properly.

I know one horse, Junior (former Yankee pitcher Don Mattingly's horse) that toots alot after he has cribbed.
And Spanky, who cribs on the metal of his stall bars all of the time, but exhibits no colic or flatulence, etc.

Curt

[D.W. Scalf]

Re: Some words

Curt,

Junior Mattingly might not be offended at being called a cribbing horse, but Donnie Baseball(Mattingly)might take offense at being referred to as a "former Yankee pitcher". Actually he was a legendary left hand hitting first baseman.

D.W. Scalf

[Michael Comer]

Re: Some words

Just curious - is there a particular reason a horse would do this or is it just a mannerism found in some?

Don't know nothin' 'bout no horses.

[BobbyHughes]

Re: Some words

Micheal,

Cribbing is what they call a stable vice... it happens with horses that are bored or suffer anxiety... its a bad habit, and like Mark said, they can learn it from another horse. They do, again like Mark said, make special collars and aids to correct the behavior.

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: Some words

Hallo!

"Junior Mattingly might not be offended at being called a cribbing horse, but Donnie Baseball(Mattingly)might take offense at being referred to as a "former Yankee pitcher". Actually he was a legendary left hand hitting first baseman."

Shows what I know about professional sports figures...

Nothing or less.

:)

Curt