FLEXOR MUSCLES — FLOORS 



is usually applied to hackney action, as this horse bends 

 his hocks more than most breeds do, and gets them further 

 under his belly. (See Action^ 



Flexor Muscles of the foot are those which bend the 

 fetlock and pastern and joints. They connect with the 

 back tendons above the knee. (See Back Tendons, Muscles^ 



Flies in summer time are a constant source of worry to 

 horses, both in the stable and out of it. In the former case, a 

 thin cotton sheet over the horse will provide him with some 

 protection, and if the stable is kept rather dark, and some 

 saucers of diluted carbolic acid are placed along the walls, 

 the flies will not be encouraged to enter. For horses which 

 are out at grass there is little that can be done, as even 

 if it is convenient to dress their coats with some compound 

 which the insects dislike, the fact that the flies usually attack 

 the corners of the eyes and other sensitive parts renders it 

 impossible to adopt effective precautions. Therefore the 

 only thing to be done is to bring the horses in during the day. 



Floors. — The question of providing proper flooring for 

 stables is one for the serious considerations of horse owners, 

 as, apart from considerations of health, a bad, slippery floor 

 may cause an accident which will render a horse useless for 

 months. The most usual floorings for buildings and yards 

 are tiles, bricks, cement, asphalt, and cobble stones, the last 

 mentioned being generally used out-of-doors, as they are 

 totally unadapted for inside purposes, being far too apt 

 to absorb moisture in the crevices between them. The best 

 of all floorings for a stable are the hard, blue tiles which are 

 usually seen in high-class establishments, and after them 

 come the small, hard bricks, laid edgeways. Both of these 

 provide a non-absorbent surface, which is easily swilled over 

 and dried, in addition to which they yield a fair foothold for 

 horses. This is more than can be claimed for either concrete 

 or asphalt, which are consequently not to be recommended 



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