The Stable. g 



damp, cold bed, while the pores of his skin are 

 relaxed by exertion. Next day he is stiff and 

 sore, and in a day or two he commences to cough ; 

 the groom is then blamed for the horse having 

 caught cold. The evil effects of cold, damp, and 

 ill- ventilated stables are well known to veterinary 

 surgeons, from the number of horses suffering from 

 rheumatism. I was once shown a valuable animal 

 by Mr. Broad, M.R.C.Y.S., of Market Street, 

 Edgware Eoad, London, which was bought from 

 a gentleman three days previously for £260. It 

 was brought from his warm, dry stable, and put 

 into a very damp one, and on the following morn- 

 ing it was unable to move ; the damp (it being of 

 a delicate constitution) had struck to the bone, 

 producing a violent attack of rheumatism, so bad, 

 indeed, that upon passing the finger down the 

 limbs, it produced a sound like the crackling of 

 parchment. I have now endeavoured to show a 

 few of the faults of the stable ; in my next I will 

 try to show what a stable ought to be. I am 

 dealing with facts, and I am compelled to blame 

 if I speak truthfully ; but I hope my readers will 

 forgive me if my doctrine is not altogether 

 pleasant, my object being to benefit both man and 

 horse, being always proud to praise, yet not afraid 

 to blame. I shall continue from time to time to 

 praise or blame, according as the subject I treat 

 deserves. 



Having endeavoured to show a few faults of 

 the stable, I will try and show what a stable 

 should be to be healthy. The three most essential 

 things required for the comfort of the horse are a 



