50 THE STALLS. 



opinion, is open to the serious objection of being the cause 

 of dangerous draughts in extremely cold weather or when the 

 horse is very hot. 



It is of the utmost importance that adequate means be 

 made for keeping the bedding as dry as possible, and the 

 stalls free from odor by good drainage. Any great difference 

 in the plane of the floor is injurious to the horse in conse- 

 quence of displacing the centre of gravity, and should there- 

 fore be avoided. The most practical method is to have the 

 under flooring slope toward the rear of the stall, giving it a 

 grade of between one and two inches. (See Fig. 26.) Over 

 this floor should be laid slats of wood so finished off on the 

 under side as to partly counteract the grade of the under 

 flooring. (See Fig. 27.) These slats should be about two 

 inches and a half thick and three inches broad. They may 

 be of either soft or hard wood; the latter is more economical, 

 but the former is considered by some owners to be better for 

 the horses' feet. If the slats are strapped together on the 

 under side with iron strips, leaving a space of half an inch 

 between each slat, the framework can be turned back or 

 removed into the open air after having been thoroughly 

 washed. (See Fig. 28.) The under flooring is thereby ex- 

 posed, and it can be thoroughly cleaned while the slats are 

 being dried in the sunshine. 



When the expense is not a 

 too serious objection a very 

 hard, durable brick, of either im- 

 ported or domestic manufacture, 

 is largely employed. A wrought- 

 FIG. 29. iron drain running lengthwise 



and flush with the surface of the bricks serves to drain the 



