8 HOESE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA. 



walls and the upright posts. The bars are secured by 

 being lashed together with a piece of rope. 



Movable half-doors as well as bars may be pro- 

 vided, to be used when the nights are cold. 



As a rule, hard-worked horses rest and thrive better 

 in boxes than in stalls. Some animals, however, when 

 kept apart from their fellows, pine from want of 

 companionship ; and others, if allowed to be loose, 

 incessantly wander about their box, and, consequently, 

 unduly fatigue themselves. Perhaps, in the majority of 

 cases in England, mares do best in stalls ; and horses, 

 in boxes. In India, however, it is not always practic- 

 able to keep animals out of doors as long as would be 

 desirable, with regard to their health, were the climate 

 less " trying " ; hence, the greater need for boxes in our 

 Eastern Empire than in more temperate climates. 



The blood-vessels in the foot of the horse, unlike 

 those in other parts, do not possess valves ; because 

 the almost constant movement except when the 

 animal is lying down or sleeps standing that he, in a 

 natural state, takes in the search for food, prevents 

 stagnation of blood by gravitation. When the foot 

 is raised, blood rushes into and fills these vessels, 

 which, at the next moment, are emptied, by the effect 

 of pressure, the instant the foot is brought to the 

 ground and weight is thrown on it. 



I thoroughly agree with Admiral Eous's remark that, 

 " The windows of a stable ought never to be shut by 

 night or day ; in cold weather, add to the clothing, but 

 never deprive them of the first great source of vitality, 

 ' fresh air.' " 



In India, during the cold weather, the air is generally 



