STUD BOOK. 95 



CHAPTEE VI 



TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF THE HOESE. 



THE STABLE. 



THE first thing of importance in the treatment of a 

 horse is the building which is provided for him, or his 

 stable. Perhaps the best way of treating the subject is to 

 show what his stable ought not to be, and that, unfortunately, 

 both for the animal and his owner, will be to show what it 

 too generally is. 



In the first place, it ought not to be dark; and in this 

 respect there are but too many proprietors of horses who 

 will, in their practice at any rate, be at issue with us, though 

 the total or partial blindness of their horses should have 

 taught them better; for from this cause in general springs 

 the blindness of the animal, which, by nature, is by no means 

 more predisposed to blindness than is his owner. And not 

 only does c, dark stable affect the sight of a horse, but his 

 general health also, especially, as is often the case, if he be 

 immured in his stable for days together. Light is just as es- 

 sential to a healthy condition as food itself, and an animal 

 can no more thrive without the one than the other. 



The window should, if possible, be at the south end of 

 the building, so that the animal, if not at work, should, as 

 much as possible, get the benefit of the sun's rays, which, 

 whatever some persons may think to the contrary, were really 

 made as much for the benefit of horses as men. The door 

 should be towards the same aspect. The window should go 

 close up to the ceiling, and may come within four or 

 five feet of the ground. "When the window is constructed 

 so as to admit a sufficiency of light, the internal walls should 

 not be whitewashed, as the light reflected from a white sur- 

 face is highly injurious to the eyes; they should be of a dark 

 gray color, and this is easily effected by mixing a little lamp- 

 black with the lime-wash. 



The next thing to be considered is ventilation; and this 

 as stables are commonly ventilated, or rather not ventilated 

 is believed to be of no moment whatever. In many old 



