190 THE HORSE, 
allowed so much as 750 feet per horse, and in it for ten years I scarcely 
ever had a case of illness, irrespective of legs and feet, consequent upon 
hard work. ‘This space may be divided in the way most convenient, as 
we shall hereafter see. 
WITH REGARD TO THE NUMBER of stalls or loose boxes which should 
be grouped together in one apartment, there is little difference of opinion 
now-a-days among practical men, that more than from four to six horses 
should not be allowed to stand together. The former number is the 
better ; but sometimes there may be circumstances which will excuse the 
latter being adopted ; as, for instance, when this number are kept, and 
the space occupied by a partition-wall is an object. Even then, however, 
a boarded partition may be introduced, and as it will not occupy any addi- 
tional room, there is no objection on that account. When a larger number 
of horses are stabled together, there is great difficulty in keeping up an 
even temperature, unless, as in the case of omnibus and cab horses, the 
same number are nearly always absent at work. In private stables, how- 
ever, all or nearly all the horses are often out at once, and then in a larga 
space the temperature is reduced so much, that when they return, two or 
three at a time, followed by others, and compel the doors to be con- 
stantly opened and shut, there is, first of all, danger of chilling each as he 
comes in, and if he escapes this, of producing that injurious effect 
when the next horse comes home. Practically it is found that the long 
row of stalls does not conduce to the health of the horses, and although 
it may please the eye of the master to look down a long line of 
valuable animals, this arrangement is by no means to be recommended. 
Hither two stalls with a loose box at one or both sides, or, perhaps, as I 
said before, even four stalls with a similar arrangement of loose boxes, 
should be the aim of the builder of a stable for general private work, and 
in this, as well as in all other cases, appearances should be sacrificed to 
utility. 
STALLS versus LOOSE BOXES. 
OF LATE YEARS there has. been a great demand for loose boxes, and ever 
private horse-keeper who could afford the extra space, has adopted the 
plan, at all events for a large proportion of his stud. For hunters and 
racehorses, when they are doing severe work, there can be no doubt that 
the quiet and liberty allowed in a box are far preferable to the restraint of 
a stall, where the horse is constantly liable to be disturbed by the ingress 
and egress of men and horses. In the stall, also, there must be a slope 
(though not necessarily a great one), from before backwards, so as to 
provide for surface drainage ; and this compels the horse who is tied to 
the manger to stand with his hind feet lower than his fore, which is a 
tiresome position if continued for any length of time, and which therefore 
induces so many to stand back to the full length of their reins. But the 
horse is a social animal, and does not like solitary confinement any more 
than the dog; indeed, some which will do well when placed in a stall, 
will even refuse their food, and actually lose condition, if removed to a 
loose box, out of sight of companions. If therefore the quiet and com- 
parative liberty of a loose box can be combined with the society of the 
stall, the only objections to each are got rid of, and the best kind of 
accommodation for the horse is provided, though even in a loose box it 
is not always desirable to leave the inmate loose. 
IN LARGE STABLES intended for business purposes, such as for omnibus, 
eab, and waggon horses, loose boxes are out of the question, on account 
