MANAGEMENT OF HORSES ON BOARD SHIP. 103 



down with perfect ease, even, during comparatively 

 rough weather, and can take some exercise ; but in a 

 short, narrow box, he will be obliged to keep on his 

 feet the whole time. 



The box should be provided with doors at both ends, 

 so that the animal may be able to go in or out of it, 

 whichever way it is turned. It should have massive 

 iron rings, placed in convenient positions so as to enable 

 it to be hoisted over the side by means of the crane ; 

 and there should be placed semi-circular iron bars, 

 -over the top, to give it stability, and to afford support 

 to tarpaulins, during wet weather; or to a canvas 

 awning when fine. Strong iron rings should be let 

 into the deck to enable the box to be securely lashed 

 down. 



The inside of the box should be thoroughly well 

 padded throughout its entire extent. Straw padding, 

 covered with canvas, as is generally used, proves very 

 ineffective ; for it soon gets hard and works downward, 

 leaving the upper portion of the woodwork unprotected. 

 I would strongly advise the use of large pieces of felt, 

 to be secured by being laced through holes bored in the 

 planking, so as to dispense with the employment of 

 nails of any sort, next the horse. 



The floor of the box should be laid down with thick, 

 rough cocoanut matting, having a long, thick " pile " or 

 "nap," into the upstanding fibres of which the feet of 

 the animal may sink, and thus obtain secure foothold. 

 Six ordinary door-mats made of this material, if suffi- 

 ciently long, will do for a box : five to cover the floor, 

 and one extra, so that the rearmost mat may be taken 

 out and dried, and the others pushed down in succes- 



