LITTER. 101 



it is recommended that the old litter be put at the top and in 

 front of the stall, and the new put at the rear of the stall, and 

 covered with some old ; the horse cannot then get to it, and it 

 soon becomes tainted, and therefore not cared for. Some- 

 times, with the same object in view, the old and the new 

 bedding are mixed up together before being laid down. Grooms 

 are in the habit of laying down the old litter first and putting 

 new straw on the top of it, for the reason that it keeps the 

 clothing cleaner, and gives the stall a better appearance. 

 Economy in straw depends much upon the attention given to 

 the bedding in the morning, when the stable is being cleaned 

 out. If possible, all the litter should be taken outside the 

 stable, thoroughly shaken up and sorted, the wet and rotten, 

 as well as the dung, being removed from it ; it should then be 

 allowed to dry by exposure to the air and sun, being turned 

 over once or twice to ensure its thorough purification. While 

 the litter is thus being rendered dry and sweet, the stable 

 floor should be swept perfectly clean, and allowed to dry before 

 being covered again by the litter. It is a great mistake to 

 allow foul bedding to be heaped under the manger, as is usually 

 done, because the ammonia from it is inhaled by the horse, and 

 afiects his eyes, while it taints his food and everything in the 

 stable. If there is no litter-shed outside the stable, then in 

 wet weather, when it cannot be exposed to the sun and air, it 

 should be put in a spare stall, or spread out in the passage 

 behind the horse. 



Sawdust is frequently employed for bedding, especially in 

 town stables, and opinions differ as to its value. Reynolds 

 asserts that it is not liked by cart horses ; at the best it is 

 comfortless and uninviting, and should only be introduced into 

 undrained stables provided with paved floors. The objections 

 to sawdust do not apply where it is used as a cushion to be 

 interposed between stone floors and the straw, where, in fact, 

 it bears the same relation to straw as a mattress to a feather 



