FEEDING ARRANGEMENTS 345 



and their front parts lower than their hind parts. By 

 so doing they rest the back tendons and the back side 

 of their legs, the parts which are subjected to the 

 greatest strain when at work; hence a floor which has 

 a marked rearward fall is objectionable. Sizable farm- 

 horses should have stalls ranging from five to six 

 feet wide, since the stables are cleaned, horses groomed 

 and harnessed without moving them from their stalls. 



The box for feeding grain should be large, made of 

 hard wood with level, broad bottom. The edges of the 

 box and the strong bars placed in front and at the rear 

 of the feed -bunk would be better covered with band- 

 iron. That part of the manger designed for hay is 

 usually too large, that for receiving the grain too 

 small. Horses are inclined to eat their grain too fast. 

 A large flat-bottomed grain -box tends to make them 

 eat slowly, and hence to insalivate their food. Horses 

 are usually fed too much hay. If the manger is large, 

 it is difficult to prevent the attendant from over -feeding, 

 unless he is required to weigh eaeh horse's hay ration, 

 a thing usually impracticable. 



The hay should not be thrown from an upper story 

 directly into the manger, no matter what kind it is, 

 neither should it be thrown direct from the mow in 

 front of the horse, but into a small room separated by 

 a door from the stable proper. This room should be 

 large enough to permit of the hay being shaken up and 

 sprinkled with water when occasion requires. Neither 

 should the bedding be thrown down in such a manner 

 as to cover the harness and horses with dust. 



Fig. 89 shows a straw chute constructed on the 



