STABLE. 



hibitingthe sprightly appearance indi- 

 cated by animals that liavc been com- 

 fortably bedded, their lieavy eyes and 

 sluggish appearance distinctly mark 

 the state of the stable they have quit- I 

 ted. But tliough this description is' 

 strictly applicable to many stables, it 

 must yet be admitted that those on 

 most farms of magnitude wear a very 

 different appearance. 



" A stable for farm liorses need not 

 be rigged out like one for hunters ; but 

 it should be roomy, clean, and well 

 ventilated, and everything belonging 

 to it should be kei)t in its proper place. 

 Neither is it necessary that it should 

 be completely stalled : team cattle are 

 generally quiet ; if vicious, they should 

 be got rid of. A pair of horses, 

 \vorked together, wdl stand and feed 

 together quite as conveniently as in 

 separate stalls, if allowed sntficient 

 room, and two in one stall are more 

 convenient to the carter. Horses 

 gather their feet under them ; and 5 

 feet, or 4^ feet if the cattle he not 

 large, are sufficient width for the fore 

 quarter. A division between each 

 pair is, however, desirable ; hut a 

 strong post and rail will be sufficient, 

 without close boarding, provided a 

 partition be made about four feet 

 long, and e.xtending from thence up- 

 ward at least the full depth of the 

 manger, so as to enclose both that 

 and the rack. Horses, however, 

 sometimes acquire a habit of not ly- 

 ing down at all in the stable, if they 

 he not very conveniently lodged ; 

 and as this cannot but prove highly 

 prejudicial to their health, they should, 

 in such cases, be accommodated with 

 roomy single stalls, or else turned 

 out under a loose shed. Double 

 stables, in which horses stand heel 

 to heel, are objectionable ; and hay 

 is better when cut fresh daily from 

 the stack, as well as more economi- 

 cally used, than when kept in lofts. 

 Corner racks are preferable to those 

 which extend along the front ; and 

 if bars be nailed across the manger, 

 at about a foot distance from each 

 other, they will prevent the horses 

 from throwing out their food, which 

 they are apt to do, in search of the 



corn, when it is inixed with chafT, as 

 well as when they have filled them- 

 selves. Every kind of food should, 

 also, be administered in small (juanti- 

 ties at a time ; when manger meat is 

 given, and even when racked up for 

 the night, the provender should be 

 served out sjiaringly. A cart horse, 

 fed on dry food, will require from two 

 to three hours to consume his morning 

 feed ; the men should therefore be 

 early in the stable, and all food should 

 be punctually given at stated hours. 

 Regularity should also be observed in 

 the hours of their work. A farm 

 horse can well support ten hours' la- 

 bour in the day, provided he be not 

 hurried, and the time be divided into 

 two equal periods, with a rest of at 

 least two or three hours between. In 

 the short days of winter, when that 

 cannot be allowed, the time may be 

 prolonged to six or even seven hours, 

 but ought never to extend beyond 

 eight, with a short bait. 



" Care is also requisite in watering 

 horses in the stable ; and it should 

 never be given either immediately be- 

 fore or after their corn, unless they 

 first eat some hay. On the road 

 they may be watered moderately, and 

 then put gently into motion, instead 

 of allowing them to stand at an ale- 

 house door while the carter refreshes 

 himself Some persons imagine that 

 hard spring water is the most whole- 

 some for cattle, but horses invariably 

 prefer it soft. 



" Farm stables are merely intended 

 to protect the cattle from the weather, 

 for, being much exposed to changes 

 of the temperature, they should nev- 

 er be kept hot ; and as fresh air is 

 an essential element of health, the 

 windows should be merely latticed, 

 like those in granaries ; and two or 

 three wooden funnels, according to 

 the size of the stable, should be in- 

 serted from the ceiling through the 

 roof, thus forming so many chimneys 

 for the escape of foul vapours. The 

 floors of all stables should be paved 

 with either clinkers or table-stones, 

 laid close and even, and well bedded 

 under the foundation, as otherwise a 

 portion of the urine will be absorbed 



74T 



