HORSES. 79 



being cast. Many a fine horse has been ruined in this 

 way. 



The stalls should be four and a half or five feet wide, 

 that the horse may lie down with ease. As a level posi- 

 tion is most natural for the horse's feet, the floor of the 

 stall should slope barely sufficient to drain off' the urine. 



STABLE FLOORS. 



There is no doubt that a floor of plank, or other hard 

 substance, is injurious, not only from its hard, unyield- 

 ing nature, but from its keeping the fore feet dry. The 

 horse, in his natural state, stands on a soft and yielding 

 substance, and which is often moist. The hoofs of 

 horses are a horny, porous, elastic substance, often 

 receiving moisture, which is necessary to their well 

 being. The constant dryness of their fore feet in stables, 

 may account for their being more lame in these feet. 



Plank floors, as usually constructed, cause horses to 

 stand uneasy, constantly straining some of the muscles 

 of their legs, while sustaining themselves in an unnatu- 

 ral position. 



To remedy these evils, on plank floors, make them 

 almost entirely level, and allow horses bedding to st^nd 

 on, to mollify the hardness ; and frequently wet the fore 

 feet. Many prepare a floor of earth, and there is no 

 doubt that it is better. Many farmers have a room 

 for a horse, where he can stand on the manure all win- 

 ter, having it levelled occasionally, especially where he 

 stands to eat, that it may not accumulate too high under 

 his hind feet. There is less waste of manure than when 

 thrown out, and it will not ferment so early in spring. 



One of the best kind of stable floor, where the soil is 

 dry, is made of lime, clay, and ashes, in equal parts. 

 Mix into a mortar, and spread a foot deep. It will soon 

 dry, and make a smooth, fine flooring, easy and agreea- 

 ble for horses to stand on, and free from objections to 

 stone, bricks, and wood. When the corks on the shoes 

 are long and sharp, have the litter deeper, to preserve 

 the floor. 



