STALLS AND LOOSE BOXES. 55 



The direction of the grooves is a matter of some import- 

 ance with regard to their usefulness. We may here state that 

 the floor of the stall should be as nearly level as possible; as 

 nothing is so injurious to limbs and feet, and fatiguing to the 

 horse, than standing for a long time on a sloping surface, like, 

 that seen in many stables, where the unfortunate animals are 

 condemned to stand, as it were, on the back tendons of their; 

 legs, as if on a hillside. A very trifling slope may be neces- 

 sary — say one in eighty, as it is now in troop stables — from 



FRONT 



OF STALL 



CHANNEL 



Stalls with grooves in floors inclining backwards and outwards to side grooves. 



the front wall to the heel drain ; though it would be better if 

 the front half were quite horizontal, as the urine does not fall 

 beyond the middle of the stall. A very slight inclination may 

 be allowed from each side towards the centre, and the grooves, 

 commencing somewhat shallow, should pass in a diagonal 

 manner in the same direction, entering a middle longitudinal 

 groove, into which they convey the urine, which is carried into 

 the heel drain, or channel. A different plan, which gives 

 greater strength where most required, and two channels instead 

 of one for drainage, is the reverse of the last. In this the 

 floor, instead of inclining towards the middle, is very slightly 

 higher there, and the grooyeSj commencing very shallow at 



