96 THE HORSE. 



scraped and well washed, with the stall boards, and, 

 indeed, the whole stable kept in a state of nicety and 

 freedom from all kinds of impurities, dust, or cobwebs. 

 Occasional whitewashing is a wholesome and good 

 practice; and, after sickness among the horses, or to 

 drive away vermin, fumigation. In a loose stall, or 

 box, for the reason above assigned, there should be no 

 manger. The modern drawer may be substituted, or 

 the horse may have his corn in a pail or tub, fixed 

 that he may not overturn it. A rack seems indis- 

 pensable, and the circular, or straight and level one 

 now in use, is to be preferred, but should, perhaps, 

 be placed lower than usual, since the horse naturally 

 feeds with his head near the ground. Nothing could 

 be more improper and inconvenient to the horse than 

 the old rack, extending across the stall and project- 

 ing at the summit, whence the animal, in order to 

 reach his provender, was compelled to elevate and 

 place his head in a break neck posture, and was 

 liable to catch dust, hay seeds, and, as they term 

 them in Hants, hulls in his eyes, an accident that 

 happened to a colt of mine, by which he was tortured 

 during five or six weeks. Low horses experience a 

 a difficulty in reaching their provender from these 

 high racks ; and, in cart stables, where they are still 

 used, it might be better if both rack and manger 

 were placed somewhat lower, and the material of 

 them in present use, iron, is certainly preferable to 

 wood. 



The hay chamber should be abolished in all 

 regular stables, applied to a different and better use, 

 and honoured with a new name. According to the 



