202 THE IMPROVED ART OF FARRIERY. 



litter, but the injury done to the ligaments of the joints 

 and the flexor muscles of the legs, by being kept con- 

 tinually on the stretch, is not easily remedied. 



" The pain of this position," says Mr. Lawrence, 

 " may be easily ascertained by any one standing a short 

 time with his toes higher than his heels, in which case 

 the calves of his legs will be so much affected as to 

 satisfy him of the truth of this observation. Hence, 

 when the horse is not eating, he always endeavours to 

 find a level standing, either by placing himself across 

 the stall, or by retreating as far back as his halter will 

 allow, so that his hind-legs may reach the opposite side 

 of the channel. He is also obliged to balance himself 

 by standing with his fore-legs farther under his body, 

 which gives him a bad habit of going; and also by re- 

 moving the pressure from the heels to the toes, tends 

 to increase that contraction to which the feet, in the 

 stable, are always more or less disposed. The hind- 

 legs, too, are always more inclined to swell from this 

 circumstance, and the horse when lying down fre- 

 quently slips backwards in such a manner, that, being 

 at the utmost length of the halter, he is unable to rise on 

 his legs owing to the confinement of his head and neck." 



The greatest inclination of the ground-surface of the 

 stall should scarcely exceed half an inch in a yard, and 

 th s should be carried on to the gutter. Som , how- 

 ever, prefer a perfect level, in which case the urine 

 may be carried off by means of a grating about six 

 inches square, and this has communication with a drain 

 under the surface. The floors of stalls is made of va- 

 rious materials at the option of the proprietor ; the best 

 is made of hard bricks, next to which lime-stone is 

 preferable ; these should not be less than a foot square. 

 The method of flooring with oaken planks is very ex- 

 pensive, but some prefer it as more elastic, preserving 



