ON THE STAHLKS, ETC. 47 



of the stable floor. It should be large enough to 

 alloAv the log or weight to move up or down with 

 facility ; this weight should, however, be sufficiently 

 heavy, so as at all times to prevent the collar-rein 

 from hanging loose. No inconvenience will arise 

 from attending to these directions, if the rein be long 

 enough to allow the horse to lie down at full length, 

 with ease and comfort to himself. A trap-door may 

 be made in the waintscotting on one side of the case, 

 to afford the facility of removing any obstruction that 

 may occur. There may also be a trap-door under the 

 rack, for the purpose of removing the short hay and 

 seeds that fall through the bottom of it. In most race- 

 horse stables there is a thin wood work attached to the 

 ceiling, and forming an arch over each horse's stall, 

 the outsides of which arches are made to meet. It 

 must be observed, that the bottom part of these arches 

 should correspond in breadth with the top part of the 

 stable post, the posts forming the bases upon which 

 the arches rest. 



Although I have lived in stables where the wood- 

 work I have here described has been placed over the 

 stalls, I confess I do not know, nor do I remember 

 ever to have heard of its being of any particular ad- 

 vantage, unless it be that, in effect, it gives the stalls 

 a neat and finished appearance. If the centre of the 

 arches were dropped sufficiently low, they might in 

 this way foi-m a sort of curtain, and prevent the sun 

 for a short period during the day, from shining too 

 powerfully upon the horses' heads ; but this can be 



