PREFACE. 



A T the suggestion of my friends, and as a lover of the horse 

 — one of the noblest, most useful, and perhaps the most 

 abused animal of creation — I desire to place before my readers 

 this little work, in the hope that these " Examples of Stables" 

 may be considered worthy of emulation by some lovers of this 

 animal desirous of seeing him properly housed and cared for ; 

 and trust the hints and suggestions contained in this volume will 

 be found generally useful to those requiring to build new stables, 

 or who may have occasion to add to or remodel their present 

 buildings. Many a one having to leave in great haste for the 

 country, with little or no time to spare, has had good reason 

 to be thankful for the speed of the thoroughbred, in not only 

 reaching their railway station in time to catch their train, but 

 oftentimes with a few minutes to the good. Such horses are 

 frequently to be met with running in well-appointed hansom- 

 cabs in this overgrown metropolis ; and this is, I fear, the end- 

 ing of many a promising two-year-old reared for speed and not 

 endurance. 



I do not profess to have any knowledge of the veterinary 

 surgeon's art, but I should very much like to see some really 



b 



