l62 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



great enough to baffle even the most learned in sanitary 

 engineering. At any rate anything is better than a stuffy 

 stable, and if the worst comes to the worst it is better that 

 doors and windows should be left open, even if a canvas 

 screen has to be used to protect the horses nearest to the 

 opening, or if they have to be additionally clothed, than that 

 they should constantly have to breathe foul air. When the 

 horses are at work common-sense suggests that doors should 

 be left open, and especially when the stabling consists of 

 single loose boxes which do not communicate with each 

 other. These are frequently defective in ventilation, and 

 windows and doors are the only means whereby places can be 

 kept sweet. Stables built up against a wall are the most 

 difficult to ventilate properly, because no ingress of fresh air 

 can be provided through the external wall ; otherwise, a 

 simple plan is to have a perforated brick inserted below the 

 manger. This will supply each horse with a fair quantity of 

 fresh air, and if the architectural peculiarities of the building 

 allow of an escape for foul air at the top, the main require- 

 ments of ventilation will have been complied with. 



PAVING. 



A good system of paving and draining is indispensable, 

 and if either or both are defective a sweet stable must not be 

 expected. 



As a material for a floor we want something that will not 

 absorb the urine, that will wear a reasonably long time, and 

 that will afford a good foothold to horses. Each of these 

 requisites is important, but in the opinion of the writer too 

 much is often sacrificed to foothold. In order to gain this, 

 channels are cut this way and that, the edges of bricks are 

 bevelled away, so that when two are laid alongside of each 

 other a channel is formed. So long as they run longitudinally 

 there may not be much harm in these grooves, but it must be 

 remembered that every inequality in the surface holds urine 



