48 ON THE CECONOMY OF THE STABLE. 



gers. In the fituation which I am fuppofing, 

 «o floors above the ftabhng are of abfolute 

 neceffity, or if erefted, need not be ufed merely 

 as depofitories of hay, but applied to any 

 other ufeful purpofe. The advantages of dif- 

 penfing hay, frefh and frefli from the flack, 

 are unfpeakable. The horfe not only has it 

 in its highefl ftate of perfc6lion, in refpeft of 

 flavour and nutritious juice, and before it has 

 become foft and mufty, or dry, and full of dufl: 

 and filth, from being tumbled about in a hay 

 chamber, biit it> is alfo neceffarily adminiflered 

 with more care, below and in the lis^ht. The 

 receptacles for hay might be below, and as 

 fome confiderable quantity mufl be taken from 

 the flack each time, to prevent too great 

 trouble, it ought to be truffed clofe as for 

 market. Whatever may be thought of this 

 extra labour, I am convinced the faving, in the 

 quality of the hay, would be an ample com- 

 penfation. 



It is the good cuftom of our plentiful coun- 

 try, for horfes to ftand conftandy upon ^ 

 luxurious carpet of clean wheat ftraw; old 

 authors have given a caution, that the bed 

 reach up no higher than the horfe's knees, 

 left in the a6t of returning his fword to the 

 fcabb.ard, he might, by foul hap, draw up 

 therewith a fharp ftraw ; an accident which 

 I never witneffed, but which is poflible, and 



might 



