ON THE CECONOMY OF THE STABLE. 43 



to lie down. Stiff and greafy horfes, which 

 have not laid down for months, when tied up 

 in a confined ftall, upon being turned into a 

 loofe ftable, well Httered down with frefli draw, 

 have been obferved to begin pawing with their 

 feet, and to throw themfelves down almofl im- 

 mediately. 



I am well enough convinced that my plan, 

 •whatever advantages it may promife, will ex- 

 perience the moft determined oppofition from 

 a great majority of the refpeftable fraternity of 

 grooms and horfe-keepers ; who far enough 

 from defiring a horfe to exercife himfelf in his 

 ftall, would fcarcely, with their good will, permit 

 him to move a limb, and often very fenfibly 

 prefent him with a good beating for foiling his 

 coat, in return for the trouble they muff have 

 in cleaning it. They would be in the horrors 

 too, at the idea of the horfe's dunging in the 

 manger, or the additional trouble of fetching 

 the dung from the upper end of the flail. In 

 all cafes of this kind, the prejudices of fer- 

 vants have ever had too much weight with 

 their mafters ; but a little extra trouble in a 

 gentleman's ftable, ought by no means to be 

 weighed againft advantages fuch as have been 

 recited. I have known ftables, where manners 

 were not ufed, but inftead thereof, drawers, 

 which were pulled out, and put up, as the oc- 

 cafion of feeding required ; a cullom, I believe, 



derived 



