64 THE POCKET AND THE STUD. 



posts or balls, the pillar reins could be fixed. To 

 this I observed, that I conceived the use of pillar 

 reins to be merely to prevent a horse, while waiting 

 saddled, from straying from his stall ; and sup- 

 posing the standing to be the proper height, I 

 thought that end would be completely answered, 

 as, under ordinary circumstances, I had no wish 

 that my horses, while so waiting, should be stand- 

 ing on a gag. I mention this, as the same idea 

 may strike any one else. 



Backs are made of all sorts and shapes, and 

 placed in various situations ; nor, unless they are 

 placed too high, do I consider it a matter of any 

 very material importance where they are placed. 

 Take them all in all as to look, comfort to the 

 horse, economy as to forage and durability, I 

 should say a small iron corner rack on the near 

 side is the best. This should be low enough for a 

 man to put the hay in without using a fork. It 

 will then be low enough for the horse to eat with 

 comfort, and he will not be induced to pull out 

 more than a mouthful at a time : when he does, 

 it produces great waste, as perhaps one third gete 

 trampled under foot. When a horse does this, I 

 have heard people accuse him of greediness ; but 

 it does not generally arise from any such cause, 

 but from his having been accustomed to eat from 

 a rack situated so high as to make the getting at 

 his provender an inconvenience to him; conse- 



