154 



had, it is a tolerable substitute to leave a Horse loose in his stall, a bar, 

 or some such convenience, securing him within his bounds. 



Having long observed the great benefit of this, especially to Horses, 

 exposed to severe exertions on the road or field, I some years since 

 proposed, that in good stables, every stall should be converted into a 

 box, in which the Horse might always stand loose, two moveable bars 

 running across the bottom of the stall. Tliis was afterwards put in 

 practice in various stables, and 1 believe proved satisfactory. If custom 

 would permit us to reflect, we should be convinced, that a Horse con- 

 fined by the head, to the small space which he covers, and remaining 

 habitually fixed in such situation, must subject him to that variety of 

 disorders resulting from defect of motion, to which we so perpetually 

 see him liable. The sleepy staggers is doubtless often brought on from 

 this cause, joined to high feeding. Thus, the loose standing is not only 

 beneficial to hard worked Horses, but to those which are high fed and 

 do little, their airings and exercise also being neglected. Those with 

 greased and swelled legs, that perpetually stand, when tied up, will be 

 induced to lie down and roll, one of the best remedies in their case, 

 if turned loose into a well littered and roomy stall. A manger is an 

 incumbrance in a loose stall, and perhaps in every other. It must be 

 acknowledged, that standing loose, a Horse uses more litter than when 

 haltered; but there is a far more fatal objection, it gives the groom 

 more trouble, an object of superior consideration in his view, than the 

 benefit occurring to the health of the Horse, from the exercise of turn- 

 ing, stretching and rolling. The master must decide between his 

 Horse's health and his groom's extra trouble. 



At the same time, I likewise recommended, the circular or rotunda 

 form, for the stabling and appertaining offices of a gentleman's coini- 

 try residence, as both useful and ornamental to an estate. The circu- 

 lar building to contain stables, boxes, carriage-houses, harness and sad- 

 dle rooms, granary, lodging for grooms, smith's forge, surgery, bath, 

 and every other requisite convenience for the Horse, or his attendants ; 

 the internal circle to form a spacious ride, well covered above, for the 

 sake of exercise in bad weather; the uncovered area shut in (rom in- 

 trusion, would form a most convenient space for all the various neces- 

 sary 



