200 STABLES. 



the air inside is free from any suspicion of " closeness." It is 

 instructive to note that the horses kept in them, maintain 

 their health during the extremely cold winter, in the same 

 excellent manner as they do in summer. Some years ago a 

 change was made in the stables of the cadres at Liski on the 

 Don, to the old plan of closing more or less perfectly all inlets 

 and outlets of air ; but it was followed by such a marked 

 increase of cases of illness among the horses, that the new 

 system of free ventilation was again put into force and with 

 the happiest results. 



In our own cases, we find the advantage, even in winter, of 

 having the air we breathe more or less at the same temperature 

 as that in the open. Even at night, we are far less apt to 

 catch cold, if we make a practice of always keeping one or 

 more of our bedroom windows open, than if we have them all 

 closed ; supposing of course that we have plenty of warm bed 

 clothes. The success of the open air treatment of consump- 

 tion is a proof of the good sanitary influence of free ventilation. 

 The argument is all the stronger when applied to horses than 

 to us ; because they, contrary to the custom observed by human 

 beings, spend a considerable portion of at least the early part 

 of their life in field or paddock without clothing. In the 

 attempt to keep our stables cool, we must not lose sight of 

 the fact that in our climate, a cold draught of air on a 

 stabled horse is very likely to give him a chill, which, as 

 we have seen, is a frequent cause of equine illness. Every 

 experienced horseman knows that draughty stables in 

 England are unhealthy stables. 



The great cause of the popularity of hot stables among 

 grooms, is the fact that horses kept in them have a glossier 

 coat while in the stable, than animals which are housed 

 in better ventilated abodes. The difference is all the other 

 way, when the horses are brought into the cold air outside. 



