STABLES AS THEY SHOULD BE. 303 



the carriages, or for general purposes. This is carried to any convenient 

 pond, while the liquid manure of the stable is, by the tubular pipes, 

 conveyed into a tank situated at least twenty yards from the principal 

 building. 



Drainage of the entire roof is thus assured, and the dryness of the 

 ambulatory in all weathers is rendered a certainty. No large stable can 

 approximate to its requirements, in which a covered ride is not provided. 

 It is, however, by no means uncommon to behold grooms trotting the 

 animals on which they are seated, and which the servant is supposed to 

 be taking out for the morning exercise ; but if a horse is to be mounted 

 and put to its paces by the man as well as by the master, it necessarily 

 follows that the quadruped must perform double duty, or endure exces- 

 sive wear. 



Many grooms habitually do more than merely ride. These men are, 

 generally, excited when in the saddle, and removed from all chance of 

 supervision. Some of these individuals delight in antics. Most stable 

 attendants love to display the spirit of the quadrupeds they wait upon j 

 and stW of lively dispositions, when their companions in service are look- 

 ing on, naturally strive to convert duty into a pleasure. The horse is his 

 own for the time, the animal being then entirely subject to the servant's 

 authority, and he being far away from all that might control his actions. 



An anecdote will, perhaps, best illustrate the above observations. A 

 medical gentleman, established in the north of England, possessed a 

 handsome bay gelding, for which he had recently given a heavy price. 

 Soon after the groom professed to have brought the quadruped into 

 working condition, the doctor began to use the animal for his afternoon 

 exercise. He was fond of a particular road ; but he could not persuade 

 his horse to pass a certain low, roadside tavern. At the door of this 

 place the quadruped would always stand still. Punishment was of no 

 further use than to make the animal, much to its master's disgust, leave 

 the door and bolt into the yard. 



There was nothing, then, to be done but to turn the creature's head 

 homeward. No sooner did the quadruped's face point in this direction, 

 than the steed began to exhibit a speed which seemed to say the doctor 

 was riding on affair of life or death. The gelding, in consequence of the 

 disgust which its strange proceedings had awakened, was shortly after- 

 ward sold at "an awful sacrifice;" nor does the medical gentleman, to 

 this hour, comprehend the reason of his dumb servant's eccentric be- 

 havior. 



The public house was famous as the resort of grooms. Here, " early 

 purl " was prepared in perfection ; while, at later hours, nothing could 

 excel either the "neat liquors" or the "dog's nose" which the tavern 



