STUD BOOK. 97 



quantity of pure air, and in winter to admit sufficient for the 

 preservation of the purity of the atmosphere without run- 

 ning any risk from cold draughts. Care must also be taken 

 not to admit draughts of air near the horse's heels, or dis- 

 eased legs will be the result. Draught cannot be too care- 

 fully guarded against, nor is it requisite that such should 

 occur, if a little forethought only be exercised. Some 

 writers on the subject advocate a chimney-shaft to be erected 

 in the stable, by which the foul air can best escape, and also 

 the admission of fresh air over the animal's head by means 

 of perforated zinc. 



The next consideration and it is not less important than 

 either of the preceding is that of cleanliness. Too many 

 persons believe, or they act as so believing, that the more a 

 horse stands and sleeps amongst the filth of his own litter 

 the more he thrives. This is an error of ignorance, or of 

 idleness perhaps both combined. The effect of it, at any 

 rate, is to make the animal, in addition to breathing his own 

 breath again, inhale the foetid ammoniacal steams which arise 

 from his own odure and urine. We have even heard farmers 

 defend this mode on the ground that the manure is better, 

 as though the manure were worth anything in comparison 

 with the horse. 



Men who reason thus are of the same class as those who 

 strew their manure over the yard in order that the rain may 

 wash from it all the ammoniacal salts, so that it may be 

 rendered the worst adapted possible for the use intended. 

 Yet were their wisdom questioned, they would sneer at any 

 one who might give himself the trouble to instruct them, as 

 they no doubt will at us, when we tell them that cleanliness 

 is as requisite for a horse as for a family. 



A brick or stone stable floor is the best; if the latter, the 

 stone should be roughened with small furrows; and in either 

 case a deep drain sunk outside of the stable is necessary, for 

 keeping it perfectly dry, without which either brick or stone 

 fioors will be prejudical from damp. This is of the utmost 

 importance. Neither should such drains be used to carry 

 off the urine. The fioor should slope an inch to c, yard; but 

 only to the gutter which carries of the urine. Indeed, if this 

 is carried off by an iron pipe with suitable openings so 

 much the better. A tub sunk outside the stable as a recept- 

 acle for the urine will soon amply repay the fanner for his 

 trouble; it is too valuable to be permitted to diffuse itself 

 over the dung-heap in the yard, to be washed away with the 

 first shower of rain. 



