STABLE MANAGEMENT 265 



it did not differ from the usual ones, and the pillar reins are 

 left in situ — so necessary for fastening up a horse after the 

 bridle has been put on, for if it is racked up to the manger 

 it soon rubs the bridle to pieces. Pillar reins are also most 

 useful when breaking in a young horse, for when they are 

 fastened to the bit the colt can play with the latter, and 

 thus learn to stand still when held by some one on foot. Of 

 course the pillar reins must be fixed sufficiently far away 

 from the door to hinder the horse from reaching it and 

 rubbing the bridle against it. 



One of the great, if not the chief, advantages of a box is 

 that the horse is able to move about, and so continually 

 shift the weight off one foot on to the other. The poor 

 animal tied up in a stall can only ease one limb by 

 throwing all his weight on to the other, standing still 

 all the time. Then he again changes the burden, but all 

 that time there has been an immense weight compressing 

 the structures of the foot, and the hoof being simply a 

 horny box, it cannot allow expansion; thus the blood- 

 vessels are constricted, and the circulation suffers. We all 

 have experienced the unpleasant sensations engendered by 

 standing in tight boots for any length of time, and the rehef 

 experienced when one is able to move on, and it is the same 

 with a horse when racked up in a stall. Minor evils, 

 resulting from deficient circulation, follow from this cause, 

 filled fetlock joints and so forth ; and all this discomfort can 

 be obviated by allowing the horse the luxury of a box. If a 

 horse is watched in a field or in a box it will be seen that he 

 is always moving, at one moment nibbling something here 

 and the next moment something there, raising and lowering 

 his head to do so, and stretching his neck from side to side. 

 He is never in the same position for long together, and 

 all that time the weight is constantly being sustained by 

 the different feet, those at temporary rest allowing perfect 

 freedom to the circulation to run its course; then when 

 there is a dry bed to lie upon, free from a cold wind or 

 draughts, the animal lies down when he wants to rest ; and 

 that such conditions are at all times within his reach the 

 careful horse-master will endeavour to arrange. 



