STABLE FITTINGS. 205 
the flooring-joists above, as they diminish their lencth by one-half. A 
moderately stout beam, say eight inches by four, is carried from end to 
end, and into this the posts are framed, while the joists, running in the 
direction of the stalls, are only seven feet long each, for which a very 
small scantling will suffice, even if heavy weights of hay and straw are 
placed in the loft. This is a great consideration, as the floor of the loft 
requiring to be made strong, the joists, when fourteen or fifteen fect long, 
should be at least ten inches deep. If wooden posts are sunk into the 
ground, which they must be if short, they soon decay, whereas, when they 
reach the ceiling, as I have advised, they may be dowelled into a stone 
rising above the floor, and thus escape destruction. Charring the part 
buried is the usual expedient adopted to prevent decay, but though it acts 
beneficially to some extent, it does not long put off the decomposition of 
the woody matter by the damp of the floor. 
A GANGWAY BAIL is sometimes used in stables, when valuable horses 
are kept in stalls, such as hunters and race-horses, It is merely a strong 
piece of oak which is dropped into a mortice in the stall-post at one end, 
and into another made in the wall opposite; so that, if either of the 
horses gets loose, he cannot reach his neighbours. It also serves to 
prevent two horses from hanging back and kicking at each other, which 
vicious animals will sometimes do. 
THE MANGERS AND RACKS are now almost invariably made of the an- 
nexed form, whether of wood or iron; the addition of a separate cavity 
IRON MANGER AND RACK. 
for water, bran mashes, or gruel, being a modern invention. With the 
single exception of Mr. Miles, I am not aware of any recent authority on 
the subject who has written in favour of the old high rack, and after 
about fifteen years’ experience of each in my own stables, I can confidently 
recommend the low position for its manifold advantages both to the horse 
and his master. The above-named writer gives as the reasons for his 
preference of the high rack, ‘‘that besides the chance there is of a horse 
getting his feet into a low rack, when he is either frolicsome or alarmed, 
it is open to the objection that he is constantly hanging his head over his 
food, and breathing on it while he is feeding, which renders the undermost 
portion of it moist and warm, and makes him reluctant to consume the 
whole.” Now the first of these objections may be tenable, for, no doubt, 
a horse can get his feet into a low rack, but so he can into his manger, 
and. as this must be placed low, no farther harm is done in the one case 
