BUILDING CONSTRUCTION 151 



hard surface so that they do not give lodgment to dirt and dust and 

 are easily cleaned. It is quite unnecessary to go to the expense 

 of lining the walls with glazed tile or of having them built with 

 glazed bricks, but glazed tiles or bricks of a neutral tint (dead white 

 is not suitable) may with advantage be placed over the mangers. 

 If the walls are finished with a face of smooth hard cement to a 

 height of 7 feet from the floor and above that well pointed and 

 washed over with cement they will satisfy hygienic requirements. 



All corners and angles such as are formed at the junction of 

 wall with floor, &c., must be filled in with cement so as to facilitate 

 cleaning. 



Doors. The doorways, of which there should be two in a large 

 stable, must not be less than 4 feet in width, while 4 feet 6 inches is 

 preferable so as to lessen the risk of horses bumping themselves 

 when entering and leaving the stable. 



The minimum height of a stable doorway so that horses can pass 

 through it with safety is 8 feet. A low doorway sooner or later 

 means that a horse bumps his head. All stable doors should be 

 made in two parts cut transversely, the lower part being 4 feet 

 6 inches high and the upper 3 feet 6 inches. When necessary, as 

 on hot, close days, the upper part can be fastened back to the outside 

 wall and left open. All door fastenings must be of the safety 

 type so that when the door is opened the bolt recedes into the door. 

 Ordinary latch fastenings have been responsible for many accidents 

 arising from horses getting their harness caught on the latch when 

 the door has been left half open. 



Stall Divisions or " Travises." Stall divisions are for the pur- 

 pose of separating each horse from his neighbours. As working 

 horses require as much rest and quietness as it is possible to give 

 them during their stabled hours, stall divisions ought to be con- 

 structed with this end in view. For a horse to rest and feed at 

 ease it is imperative that he be shut off from his neighbours so that 

 one cannot see or interfere with another. The necessary height 

 and length of the partitions depend upon the size of the animals. 



As has been stated, 13 feet is a desirable length from wall to 

 heel-post for horses of the Shire type, while 11 feet 6 inches will 

 do for the average contractor's horse. The height at the rear part 

 of the stall need not be greater than that which will prevent such 

 an accident as a horse getting his leg caught over it. Five feet will 

 be found sufficiently high for this purpose. It is not advisable to 

 make the partition higher than necessary, especially if it is made of 

 solid planks throughout, because the less partition there is the more 

 free is the ventilation. At the head of the stall the partition must 



