42 ON THE CECONOMY OF THE STABLE. 



It may be compared to fedentary habits ia the 

 human body, always prodaftive of debility and 

 difeafe. But if the being placed as a joint fix- 

 ture with the manger whilft within doors, be 

 fuppofed to have an unfavourable effeft upon 

 the health of a horfe which is regularly worked 

 or exercifed, what mufl be the cafe of thofe 

 which are fcarcely led out of the foul atmofphere 

 of the (table once a week, even to take their 

 %vater, and all the while kept full of hard meat ? 

 I put it to the indolent owners of humour- 

 blind, greafy - healed, and broken - winded 

 horfes, to anfwer that queflion. 



My propofed improvement is to convert 

 every ftall, over and above the larger boxes 

 for particular occafions, into a loofe ftable, by 

 placing two moveable bars at the bottom, to 

 prevent the horfe from pafling his bounds ; or 

 ihouid it be thought neceflary, folding doors 

 might be adopted, to open inwards, that they 

 might not intrench upon the liberty of the 

 common gangway. A horfe might then exer- 

 cife himfelf in his flail, by turning about, roll- 

 ing, and ftretching out his limbs at pleafure. 

 All danger of being halter-caft, which has 

 proved fatal to fo many horfes, would be out 

 of queftion. It would particularly benefit 

 thofe dull and phlegmatic horfes, which are 

 obferved almoft conftantly dozing with their 

 heads over the manger, and fuch as are difficult 



to 



