PEELIMINABY EEMAEKS. 453 



become more vigilant and circumspect, and thus not only 

 prevent suffering, loss of labour, and even at times the life of 

 a valuable animal, my task will have been performed to a good 

 purpose. It is not possible at all times for the most careful of 

 men to avoid every cause of accident ; but it is more than pro- 

 bable that numbers of casualties which have happened might 

 have been avoided, and others of daily occurrence may in like 

 manner be prevented. 



Horses used for the purpose of society, or which are intended 

 for such purposes, are found in three states of existence, viz : — 

 in the stable, at work, and at grass ; so that mechanical causes 

 of injury very naturally arrange themselves into three classes^ 

 viz : — such as may happen to the animal loithin the stable ; such 

 as may happen to the animal ivhen at worh ; and such as may 

 happen to the animal lohile at pasture. 



Class I. — on such as mat happen within the Stable, 

 comprises : 1st — horses getting loose in the stable, and fighting 

 with each other ; 2nd — slips upon the pavement of the stable ; 

 3rd — injuries from the timber and iron work used in the con- 

 struction and division of the stalls ; 4th — injuries from the 

 animal being cast in a stall or loose box; 5th — injuries from 

 improperly fastening the head of the animal; 6th — injuries 

 from the feet of the animal becoming fast in a loose urine grate, 

 or any open space which may exist between the sets constituting 

 the floor of the stalls; 7th — injuries from improperly con- 

 structed stall posts ; 8th — injuries from hooks and nails in 

 connection with the mangers and racks ; 9th — injuries to the 

 feet and tendons of the animal from forks and other tools used 

 within the stable ; 10th — injuries to the feet of the animal from 

 shoeing; 11th — injuries inflicted upon the head, hips, ribs, 

 shoulders, and other parts of the animal, from lowness of the 

 stable, narrowness of the stalls, or from low and naiTow door- 

 ways to stables. 



