ON THE QSCONOMY OF THE STABLE. 4I 



perhaps the praftice was pretty general in their 

 days.^ The rack, manger, hay-loft, and ftall, 

 as at prefent in ufe, are of ancient date ; but 

 entire boarded partitions for the ftalls were for- . 

 merly looked upon as an extraordinary ex- 

 pence, and the horfes were ufually feparated 

 by polls and bars only. The loofe ftable or 

 box, or at lead its frequent ufe, is an improve- 

 ment of modem days. I believe throughout 

 England, ftables are now paved with clinkers 

 or ftones, the ftraw covering, and accidental 

 incruftations of dung, rendering fuch a bottom 

 fufficiently warm. 



The reader will have noticed my frequent 

 warm recommendations of the loofe liable, 

 where the horfe (lands conftantly untied, and 

 at his liberty ; a meafure generally adopted in 

 fporting ftables, with horfes lamed in their 

 hnews, or having their legs fwelled and heated 

 from work.' Now as this meafure is adopted, 

 and found to be a ufeful remedy in fuch cafes, 

 why not make a conftant cuftom of it as a pre- 

 ventive ? It muft furely have an unfavourable 

 effe^l upon the joints and hnews, and the circu- 

 lation even of the foundeft: and mod vigorous 

 horfe, to ft;and fo many hours conftantly tied 

 up in one pofition, with fcarce a poftibility of 

 exerciftng that mufcular motion, intended by 

 nature to accelerate the courfe of the animal 

 juices, and prevent their becoming ftagnant. 



It 



