THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY 201 



mospiiere of a close stable from penetrating through 

 the crevices of the boards, and this, in a great measure, 

 preserves the hay or other dry food kept there, and 

 which, by such neglect, is rendered highly injurious 

 and unwholesome from the rank taste and smell it ac- 

 quires. 



The width of the stall should be about six feet, by no 

 means less. There is but little flexibility in the spine 

 of the horse, and great and irremediable danger has 

 followed any sudden motion of turning the animal 

 hastily in a confined space. Nine or ten feet should 

 be the length, and the height such as to prevent them 

 smelling each other. 



Each stall should be furnished with a rack and 

 manger ; the manger should be eighteen inches wide, 

 and two feet and a half in length. The common rack 

 is made with staves in the front ; another method is 

 sometimes made use of — the hinder portion of the rack 

 is made of wood, and gradually slopes in an inclined 

 plane towards the front, terminating about two feet 

 downwards ; the lower portion of the front is entirely 

 closed, the staves only being found in the upper part. 

 By the use of this rack there will not only be a great 

 saving of the hay, from the inability of the animal 

 pulling it down upon the litter, by which means a vast 

 quantity is often wasted, but the hay-seeds and dust 

 will not be so liable to fall on the horse's head, to the 

 frequent injury of his eyes. 



The length of the halter should not be more than 

 four or five feet, which will be sufficient to allow him 

 to lie down with ease. 



As regards the declivity of the floor, many stables 

 have a descent highly injurious and inconvenient to 

 the animal. It is true, that when the paving slopes 

 considerably the urme will flow more readily from the 



