106 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



during the time allowed for it ; quiet and freedom from dis- 

 turbance are, therefore, essential to refreshing rest. "Where 

 horses are resting, persons or other horses should not be allowed 

 to enter the stable, if possible, and all unnecessary noise should 

 be prevented. If the stable is large, and contains a number of 

 horses, working at different hours, the arrangements made for 

 relief should, as far as practicable, be such as will obviate dis- 

 turbance to those which are resting. Horses always rest better 

 in a loose box, as they are then at liberty to choose the position 

 in which they feel most comfortable ; in fact, all horses should, 

 if possible, be kept in loose boxes, but it unfortunately happens 

 that such an arrangement can rarely be carried out — space, 

 expense, and other reasons interfere. Stalls should be roomy 

 and well constructed, so as to allow of the horse lying at full 

 length, and with his legs stretched out, with no tendency to 

 slide down tow^ards the heel-drain. Some horses, if ever so 

 tired, will not lie down until the stable is quiet, and even 

 dark ; and some, again, take far too little rest, and remain the 

 greater part of their time standing, even when provided with 

 the most seductive bed. Unless a horse lies down regularly to 

 rest his limbs, these swell, and the joints stiffen, so that he 

 comes out of his stable, after the period allotted to rest, stilty 

 and stumbling ; and though such horses may continue to work 

 for some time, without ever lying down, nevertheless they 

 would last longer, and perform their work better, if they rested 

 a sufficient time. It has been observed that nervous horses often 

 refuse to lie down when first made to occupy a stall, or when 

 introduced into a strange stable, especially if among strange 

 horses ; this disinclination to rest naturally may become a 

 confirmed habit, and the horse consequently suffer. Every 

 inducement should therefore be offered to obviate the evil, and 

 the animal should either be put into a roomy, quiet stall by 

 himself, or, better still, into a comfortable loose box, until he 

 has become accustomed to the change of scene, companions. 



