CONSTRUCTION OF STABLES. 35 



horses, the rack is large enough if it hold seven potrrds of hay. 

 The largest size need not hold more than double or treble 

 this quantity. The bottom of the rack should be eighteen or 

 twenty inches from the top of the manger. The best situa- 

 tion is midway between the partitions. But in this place, a 

 perpendicular front, flush with the head wall, can not be ob- 

 tained without recesses. 



In reference to situation, hay-racks may be termed front, 

 side, and under racks. The first is that which is elevated on 

 the wall in front of the horse ; the second, that which is 

 placed in one corner ; and the third is on a level with the 

 manger. 



The Front-Rack usually has a sloping face ; and sometimes 

 the inclination is so great, and the rack so high, that the 

 horse has to turn his head almost upside down every time he 

 applies to it. When the stable is not sufficiently wide, or the 

 walls sufficiently thick, to admit of a perpendicular face, the 

 front of the rack must be inclined ; but the inclination need 

 not be great. A rack having the face upright and the back 

 sloping, is shown in Fig. 10. When the spars are of iron, 

 this is the best rack. The next best is represented in Fig. 2. 

 It answers perfectly well for all kind of horses. It is thirty 

 inches wide, twenty-four deep, and nineteen from front to back. 

 The spars are round, one and a quarter inches thick, and two and 

 a half inches apart. Each rack should have a ring at bottom for 

 securing the horse's head. When tied to the spars he is apt 

 to bend or break them. Another very good front-rack is 

 shown in Fig. 3 ; but it is too small for large horses, though 

 suitable enough for fast-workers^. 



The Side-Rack may be placed in either corner, on the right 

 or on the left ; but when filled from the stable, it is most con- 

 venient on the left side. When made of wood, the side-rack 

 usually has uprighj round spars, arranged in a semi-circular 

 form. (See Fig. li.) The back is an inclined plane. The 

 bottom on the outside is boarded up, so that the horse may not 

 injure his head against the corner. This is the best kind of 

 rack for narrow and low stables. It takes nothing off the 

 width of the stable and allows the horse to stand quite within 

 the stall when eating his hay. The front might easily be 

 made of cast iron ; the back and bottom of wood ; or the in- 

 clined back might be dispensed with, and it would thus be both 

 cheap and durable. As usually ma le (see Fig. 6), it has all the 

 awkwardness of the old-fashioned sloping front, and it is gener 

 ally too small. 



