l66 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 



of stabling is where each loose box is unconnected with any 

 other, and is simply a cell for the solitary confinement of each 

 horse. 



Doors sometimes work on runners so as to slide an arrange- 

 ment that is sometimes necessary owing to circumscribed 

 space. There is, however, no objection to a common hinged 

 door, which of course should open outwards. Kay's locks 

 will be found convenient for stables, as they cannot be opened 

 by the horse, and they require no slamming. Stable doors 

 must be both wide and high four feet wide at least, and 

 eight feet high. These measurements will guard against the 

 harness or hip bone from being caught by the door posts, 

 provided, of course, that the horse be led in and out carefully, 

 while if he throw up his head he will not strike it against 

 the top a mishap that sometimes makes it difficult to get a 

 horse in and out of his stable. 



The ordinary hemp halter should never be seen in a private 

 stable. All the horses should wear leather head collars, and 

 the rope chains are noisy and leather straps get gnawed 

 should not be longer than is needed to allow of the horse lying 

 down in comfort. The log should be sufficiently heavy to 

 keep the rope taut. There are one or two contrivances in 

 which a spring is used instead of a log ; but they sometimes 

 lead to the use of a leather strap for the purpose of easier 

 winding. 



Mangers, &c., can be had at prices to suit all classes of 

 buyers ; but the objection to wooden mangers is that particles 

 of food can lodge in the angles at the ends and sides, whereas 

 with those which are round it is impossible. On the inside 

 of the manger there should be a slight rim to dimmish the 

 chance of the corn being thrown out. There are several firms 

 which make iron stable fittings; and from the show rooms the 

 horse-owner may select everything he wants. He will find 

 that the hay rack is, in these iron fittings, on a level with the 

 manger the proper place for it ; the old plan of placing it high 

 up is most absurd, for not only is the unlucky horse com- 



