188 FAEM BUILDINGS IN SOUTH AFBICA 



and also to allow for circulation of air below the divisions, is situated 

 a few inches clear of the floor. That half of the top rail which is 

 nearest the head-post, should be clad with sheet zinc to prevent the 

 horses from chewing the wood. 



Loose-boxes in the Stable itself.— Sometimes loose-boxes are erected 

 in the stable itself, the usual arrangement being to have a number of 

 stalls with one or two loose-boxes in addition. Such loose-boxes may be 

 made to occupy the space which would be required for two stalls. 



The partitions and door for a loose-box of this type might be 

 constructed with posts, rails, and close-boarding in a similar manner 

 to the stall divisions which have just been described. The close- 

 boarding should, however, extend only 4' 6" above the floor. Above 

 this height f-inch iron rods, set vertically and about 4 inches apart 

 from centre to centre, should be arranged between the upper rail of 

 the lower close-boarded part and another rail at a height of 7 feet 

 above the floor. This iron railing at the top allows of the animals 

 being seen without the attendant having to enter the loose-box, and 

 also permits of freer air circulation. 



Detached Loose-boxes. — Loose-boxes in the stable itself, such as 

 those mentioned above, are no substitute for detached loose-boxes which 

 can be used for the accommodation of stallions, sick animals, etc. 

 Detached loose-boxes allow of greater quietness and purer air than 

 can be had in the stable itself, features of advantage in the case 

 of sick animals. Sick-boxes should be entirely shut off from the 

 general stable, so that cases of infectious disease can be isolated ; thus 

 any party wall separating a sick-box from, for instance, the general 

 stable, should extend right to the roof and should have no openings 

 in it. 



The loose-box shown in Fig. 150 and the frontispiece is designed so 

 that it can be altered at will into a small stable containing two stalls. 

 This is done by erecting the stall division shown in Fig. 152. The 

 lower end of the heel-post is circular in cross section, and fits into 

 a short length of 5-inch iron pipe bedded in the floor ; the upper end 

 is bolted to a 4£" by 3" rail nailed to the tie-beams of the roof. The 

 head-post is bolted to the wall in the usual way and is a fixture. The 

 division consists of 9" by 1^" boards, placed horizontally with their 

 ends in grooves cut in the head and heel posts respectively. This 

 division can be erected in a few minutes. When it is taken down a 



