HOVELS FOE STOCK. 305 



paddocks, will afford a good idea of the very highest accommo- 

 dation which can be desired. They may be built of brick, stone, 

 or timber, according to the taste and purse of the proprietor. 

 In all cases the size should be about 15 feet by 12 feet for both 

 hovels and yards, and. the aspect should be invariably to the 

 south, either facing that quarter or a point or two to the east or 

 west of it. The door should never open in any other direction, 

 because it often happens in early spring that the weather is too 

 cold and wet to turn the mare and foal out, and yet the sun 

 may be admitted by opening the upper half of the door with 

 great advantage to the young animal, which requires sun as 

 much as its mother's milk. When materials are very expensive, 

 and money is limited, a hovel of 12 feet square may perhaps 

 suffice ; but the extra length will be well bestowed, and it should 

 always be calculated on as desirable, if not absolutely needful. 

 With regard to height, I should say that eight feet is a good and 

 sufficient amount of head-room, for as these boxes are never air- 

 tight, it is not important that they should be very lofty, and if 

 made too high they become very cold in the long winter nights, 

 whereas if kept down to eight feet, the warmth of the mare's 

 body t-aises the temperature sufficiently to protect the foal from 

 an excessive reduction during a frost. In all cases the roof 

 should be thatched, which material is cool in summer and warm 

 in M'inter ; and as these hovels are always at a distance from the 

 main dwelling, it is not here objectionable on accovmtof its ten- 

 dency to burn. Kext to thatch, tiles offer the most equal tem- 

 perature ; but they are not in this respect to be compared to it, 

 though far superior to slates. The walls may be of brick or 

 stone, which are the best and most desirable materials, and 

 equally good in every respect, the choice being given to that 

 which is the cheapest in the locality. Boarding is a bad mate- 

 rial, as it can scarcely be made warm and air-tight, and is liable 

 to give cold by allowing small currents or draughts of air to play 

 upon both mare and foal, which is worse than leaving them ex- 

 posed to the open air. In every case the doors should be wide 

 and high, viz., seven feet six by four feet six, and all angles 

 rounded off ; to which precaution a roller on the door-post is a 

 very useful addition, as a prevention from accidents. The yai'd 

 should be walled in, or divided off by a wooden partition, or a 

 Vol. II. — 20 



