134 Management and Feeding of Heavy Horses 



which never hurt the shoulders, although introduced twenty -five 

 years ago, have never come into general use, just because of the 

 prejudice of local saddlers and wagoners, who will adhere to the old 

 fashion. 



THE STABLE 



The stable accommodation is an essential item in the manage- 

 ment of farm horses; unfortunately on many farms the stabling is 

 very poor. In some districts the farm horses are turned into yards 

 to lie at night, the advantage of the system being that they rest 

 better than when tied in a stall ; some horses will not lie when so 

 tied. The disadvantages are the greater quantity of litter required, 

 and the greater risk of hurting each other ; horses that have not 

 been reared together do not always agree. The better plan is to 

 have them in proper stables, each one in his own stall. The stalls, 

 to be comfortable, should be 6 ft. wide, and separated by wooden 

 partitions or " travises ", extending 8 ft. back from the front wall, 

 and high enough to prevent a wicked horse from teasing his 

 neighbour. The building should be i8 ft. wide, the length accor- 

 ding to the number of horses required. The best floor is cement, 

 grooved to prevent slipping, the floor of each stall being dished 

 slightly with a channel in the middle to drain off" urine. No under- 

 ground drains should be constructed, the urine being swept out on 

 'the surface. A manger of 4 ft. long and i ft. wide should be fixed 

 about 4 ft. high in front of the horse, a rack about the same height 

 being fitted in the spare 2 ft. of the stall. The manger may be 

 made of wood, iron, or fireclay, the latter being preferable, because 

 of cleanliness and durability combined. The overhead rack is 

 objectionable for the reasons previously given. A lump of rock 

 salt should be kept in the corner of each manger for the horse 

 to lick. 



Horses are more comfortable, warmer in winter and cooler in 

 summer, if there is a loft overhead. There should, however, be 

 plenty of air space, and plenty of ventilation and light; dark 

 stables are bad for the horse's eyesight and dismal for the men to 

 work in. 



There is not much benefit derived from having water brought 

 into the stable ; it soon gets impure from the absorption of noxious 

 gases, and has to be frequently cleaned out. The loft is useful for 

 the storage of hay and straw. At one end of the stable should be 

 a small room for chaff", at the other end a room for harness, the loft 

 extending the full length, and in it and over the chaff"-room a small 

 chaff" cutter, which would be found very convenient to cut a small 



