*» 



SB THE horse's foot, 



urged against loose box<^s, which for the most part are so 

 weak, that I cannot conceive their prevailing much longer 

 against such vast advantages : the only serious one is want 

 of space ; and that is often pleaded where it has no real ex- 

 istence. Most modern stables are built with stalls from six 

 to seven feet wide, with plenty of room behind the horses to 

 allow of passing without incurring the danger of being 

 kicked : — in such a stable, sink a second heel-post at just 

 sufficient distance from the wall to allow a free passage ; 

 and take the space, so gained, into the stall ; close it with a 

 gate, and you will have a very fair substitute, in the absence 

 of a better, for a loose box, and that too without sacrificing a 

 standing for a horse : but, if a stall can be conveniently 

 spared, a four-stalled stable may be converted into three 

 very good boxes by shifting the divisions, and taking in the 

 space in the rear of the horses.* 



Upon the whole, I very much prefer this kind of arrange- 

 ment (with, of course, as much space as can be afforded to 

 each division) to boxes separated from each other by walls ; 

 for the horse is naturally a social animal, and his enjoyment 

 is greatly increased by seeing, as well as hearing, his com- 

 panions. The best kind of partition between such boxes is 

 " brick noggin," cased on each side with board, and sur- 

 mounted by iron rails : the former may be about five feet in 

 height, and the latter about two. But as the wall approaches 

 the manger, its height should be increased, and that of the 

 rails diminished, so as to prevent the horses watching each 

 other while they are feeding. When one horse can over- 

 l£)ok another, while they are both feeding, it is very apt 

 to cause them to swallow their food without properly mas- 

 ticating it, either from the hope of participating in their 

 neighbor's share, or the fear of losing some portion of their 

 own. 



The question of space may be fairly left to itself; for, if 

 there be positively none, there ends the matter ; and if it be 

 doubtful, that trite adage, " where there's a will, there's a 

 way," will give the horse the benefit of the doubt. But the 

 real objection, — that which lurks at the bottom of all the 

 others, — is the power a loose box gives to the horse of lying 

 down, and " dirting" himself, after he has been made clean 

 for the day ; this is the insurmountable objection that has 

 hitherto so stoutly withstood the pleadings of humanity for 



• Page 64, fig. 18. 



