THE HORSE- HYGIENE AND SANITARY CONDITIONS. 647 



that come to his shop. The stable that has a brick or cobble- 

 stone floor, well laid on a foot of sand and gravel, and so ar- 

 ranged that rats do not undermine, has a floor that will cost less 

 and give more comfort and security to health and against acci- 

 dent than can be had by any other method. 



Let the floor be what it may, the comfort of the horse and 

 saving of the valuable liquid fertilizer can be secured by abund- 

 ance of straw, leaves, or saw-dust, while the bedding must be 

 aired and the floors cleaned, so as to dry, each day. 



If the farmer will arrange his stalls and windows so that 

 while the horses are at work the floors can receive the sunlight 

 and fresh air, he will add to the neatness of his stable, rid it 

 of foul odors, and prolong the life and usefulness of his team, 

 and if he has boys, will set them an example worthy of imita- 

 tion. Cleanliness is of first importance in the stables. It is 

 profitable for health and decency. 



The Care of the Feet. On such floors, where the bed- 

 ding and filth are removed every day, we do not find disgusting 

 cases of thrush and grease. The carefulness that provides such 

 quarters for the horse also cares for the feet. The farmer who 

 will clean his horses' feet in the morning free from manure and 

 filth, will have them perfectly deodorized as they go to the 

 plowed field. But if he leaves the frog bedded in manure, the 

 loose earth packs and fills about the shoe, and makes a com- 

 plete device for injuring the frog and inducing thrush, and in- 

 juring the structure of the foot. The rosidster should have his 

 feet cleaned night and morning, as he is likely to have a gravel 

 wedged in beside the frog. We are here treating of prevention 

 of ailments, and the foot needs special care, as it is a compli- 

 cated structure that must be kept in good repair to insure the 

 highest usefulness of the horse. 



Cleaning or Grooming. The practice of cleaning horses 

 in the stall, and while eating, is a common one on the farm. It 

 is convenient for the man to do this before breakfast, and while 

 the horse eats, so that as soon as the morning meal is over, the 

 team can go to the field. But it is neither conducive to clean- 

 liness nor health. The dust from cleaning a horse thus defiles 



