FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



these horses may raise the thermometer to a dis- 

 tressing point, and if the stable is then closed, as 

 at night, may seriously affect the inmates. More 

 illness is caused in such ways than people at all 

 realize or provide for. It is very easy to sub- 

 divide all large stables in some way so that all 

 the animals are not kept in one lot. Every large 

 building must be draughty, and nothing will pre- 

 vent this but apartments of reasonable size, and 

 careful attention to doors and windows. 



All stables must be arranged so that the opera- 

 tions of cleaning, harnessing, etc., can be consec- 

 utive, since this means an enormous saving of 

 time and labor. Backed from his stall, the horse 

 should proceed by direct progress from brushing 

 over to harness ; from harness to vehicle ; and 

 thence out of the door, reversing this proceeding 

 on his return, and arriving in his living-room 

 clean, and ready for food and rest, his equipments 

 left at their appropriate place along the way from 

 the entrance. There must be no running here 

 for tools, there for harness, yonder for vehicle, 

 but all should be consecutive, convenient, and 

 arranged in every detail with that idea. Every- 

 thing must be large enough, yet not too big ; 

 snug, compact, and " get-at-able." 



36 



