LITTEB.] 



THE HOESE, AND 



[qroomiitg. 



LITTER. 



Instead of having a large corn-chest in the 

 stable, a handsome seat might be made at the 

 bacb part of it, extending as far as may be 

 necessary. In this there may be partitions to 

 separate the beans or the bran ; and places 

 might be made to rest the arms upon, so that a 

 gentleman might sit down comfortably, and have 

 the pleasure of seeing his horses taken care of. 

 A comfortable stable will be found conducive 

 to the health of the horses, and will be an 

 inducement to the groom to attend to every 

 little circumstance which may contribute to 

 cleanliness. He will not allow the smallest bit 

 of dung to remain swept up at one end, or into 

 a corner, as it commonly is. The pails should 

 be kept outside, and not standing about the 

 stable, as they usually are. If it be necessary 

 to take off the chill from his drink, it is much 

 better, and more easily done, by the addition 

 of a little hot water, than by suffering it to 

 stand in the stable : and while the horses are 

 at exercise, the litter should be all turned out 

 to dry, and the brick floor well washed, or swept 

 out. Some litter should always be allowed for 

 a horse to stale upon, and this should be 

 swept away as often as it is necessary, to pre- 

 vent offensive smells. Litter dried during 

 the day, will serve again as well as fresh straw 

 for the bottom of the bed, and be perfectly 

 free from smell. That which is necessary to be 

 kept under a horse, that he may stale with 

 •comfort, and without splashing himself, is not 

 considerable, and may be changed once a- day. 

 A great saving might be made in it, by turn- 

 ing it out, and drying it ; and if a shed were 

 built adjoining the stable, this could be done at 

 all times, and the horse might be cleaned in 

 the shed in wet weather. 



Neither dogs, fowls, nor goats, should ever 

 be permitted to enter a stable; and dung 

 should be kept at a distance from it. Whilst 

 speaking of these general arrangements, it 

 may not be amiss to notice a good contri- 

 vance in cleaning horses ; that is, to have two 

 straps, one on each side of the stall, about one 

 yard from the head of it ; by these the horse 

 may be fastened during the time he is cleaned, 

 and he will be effectually prevented from 

 biting the manger or the groom. He will also 

 be kept back in the stall, which will enable 

 108 



the groom to clean more perfectly the front of 

 his fore-legs, chest, and neck ; and to move 

 round him. This is better than strapping him 

 to the rack. When the common rack and 

 manger are preferred, the rack-staves should 

 be straight, and brought nearly down to the 

 manger. This may be done without the 

 necessity of a hay-loft, and the manger may be 

 made deep and wide, as already described. 



GROOMING. 



Although it is not usually the case that 

 gentlemen, themselves, look after their own 

 horses when they are stabled ; still, we pre- 

 sume that many desire to have such a know- 

 ledge of the stable department, as will enable 

 them to judge of the competency or incompe- 

 tency of their grooms ; for it is not the good 

 fortune of every one to have a thoroughly pro- 

 fessional groom, who understands his business, 

 and who is trustworthy in all the parts he has 

 to perform in it. There are some who under- 

 take the duties of grooms without understand- 

 ing hardly anything about a stable ; and while 

 gentlemen do not inform themselves of the 

 necessary duties and business of this depart- 

 ment of their establishments, they are likely 

 to be greatly imposed upon, or injured, through 

 the ignorance, indolence, or artfulness of the 

 pretenders they may have engaged. Little as 

 may be thought of the merits of looking after 

 a horse, it has been remarked, that not more 

 than one in ten, upon the average, of stable- 

 men employed in livery-stables and dealers' 

 yards, know even the simple process of properly 

 cleaning or dressing one, though this is the first 

 or principal thing required of them, and nearly 

 all they have to do. This is the case even after 

 they have followed the occupation for years, and 

 been industrious, pains-taking men, who did 

 not spare their labours. Since such is the fact, 

 it is evident that there is more art attached to 

 this profession, than at first suggests itself to 

 the mind. 



There are certain natural qualifications which 

 should be preferred and sought after, if they 

 can possibly be found, in the person that has 

 the care and management of valuable horses. 

 Above all things he should be sober, mild, and 

 patient in his temper, so that he is not easily 

 provoked ; for material injury has been done 

 by passionate persons incautiously striking 



