206 THE liORSE. 
than in the other. Moreover, the rack being placed in the corner is not 
so likely to receive the feet as the manger in the middle. But, in either 
case, if the bottom is strong enough to bear the weight, which it ought to 
be, no mischief is done, and the horse gets down again when he likes. The 
second objection I contend to be wholly without foundation, and I do this 
after carefully trying the experiment for a month, with the same four horses, 
tended by the same men, and doing the same kind of work. It so happened 
that in the year 1845 I required two additional stalls; and at that time having 
high racks in my own three-stalled stable, I hired one of two stalls close 
adjoining. In this I placed two of the three horses for a month, and carefully 
weighed the hay which was consumed by them during that period, at the 
saine time weighing that eaten by the other three horses in the three-stalled 
stable. At the end of the month I changed the two horses for two of 
those in the three-stalled stable, and again weighed the hay consumed by 
each. The result was, in round numbers, a saving of ten pounds of hay 
per week per horse, and this was done without any further limitation than 
the judgment of the head groom, who, moreover, was prejudiced in favour 
of high racks. I immediately introduced low racks into my own 
stables, and have used them since with the greatest satisfaction and ad- 
vantage. Such is the result of my own experience, and I find that all 
those of my acquaintance who have tried the low racks, are strongly 
impressed with their advantages, nor have I ever known an accident result 
from them. ‘The only place where they are dangerous is in the loose box 
of the brood mare with her foal, where the latter may damage itself by 
getting into the manger, but against this risk I have cautioned the breeder 
at page 159. In those stables where a long wooden manger is fixed, the 
alteration of a part to form the low rack is easily accomplished, and the 
saving in hay will soon pay for the trifling outlay. 
WITH REGARD TO THE MATERIAL of which the racks and mangers 
should be made, I am not quite so settled in my convictions. Wood is 
undoubtedly the cheapest, and it has the advantage in its favour that the 
horse, in laying hold of the cap with his teeth, when he is being dressed, 
which most high-couraged horses do, wears them out much less rapidly 
than with the iron manger. ‘This objection is met by making the cap so 
wide that the horse’s jaw will not embrace it, and with this modification 
I have nothing to allege agains! the metal but its price,—while it has the 
advantage that mice cannot gnaw through it, and that it does not become 
decomposed by remaining constantly damp, which is the case with wood. 
The iron is generally lined with enamel, but as I believe that its oxide is 
absolutely advantageous to the health of the horse when taken into the 
stomach with his food, I do not care whether this additional expense is 
incurred or not. The enamel always looks and is clean, which is in its 
favour, but, as I said before, this is its only real advantage. With these 
preliminary observations, I shall describe each, and give their cost price 
in addition, so that in fitting up a stable the proprietor may take his 
choice. 
(1.) WoopEN MANGERS may be economically made in part of elm or 
deal, and in part of oak, which latter wood should always be used for the 
capping, on account of the wear occasioned by the teeth, and for the 
bottoms, to prevent decay. The top of the cap should be from 3 ft. 3 in. 
to 3 ft. 6 in. from the ground, and the manger itself should be 13 inches 
wide at the top and 9 inches at the bottom ; depth 11 inches. The caps 
should be 4 inches deep and 3 inches wide, and these should be firmly 
wedged into the wall or travis at each end. The bottoms may be of inch 
