224 STABLES. 



out of the way, and will not be a possible source of injury, 

 as hanging-doors are when open, to a horse passing through 

 or passing by them. All hanging-doors should be made to 

 open outwards ; because then, in case of accident or illness, 

 it would be impossible for a horse or other object inside the 

 stable to bar entrance into the building or box ; and care 

 should be taken that no projecting points or sharp edges are 

 furnished by the door or its attachments, so that the animal 

 may not hurt himself on them when going through or passing 

 by the door-way. Also, these doors should be made to fold 

 back and to be secured when they are open, so that they may 

 not remain on the swing. In stables, frequent use is made of 

 the half-door principle, which allows the interior of box or 

 stable to be seen, and which aids ventilation, while, at the same 

 time, ingress or egress can be prevented by keeping the lower 

 half-door shut. The upper portion of the door of a box is usually 

 made of open bars, to facilitate ventilation and also to enable 

 the owner or groom to look into the box without opening it. 



In a single line of boxes which has no passage inside it, one 

 outside door may serve for every two boxes (as in Fig. 25) in 

 which the doors of each box are made to revolve on the 

 partition between them. If the upper portion of these inner 

 doors be furnished with open bars, the horses will be able to 

 see each other, and thus will have companionship without 

 being able to smell or tease each other. 



WINDOWS. 



The windows of a stable should be capable of admitting a 

 plentiful supply of sunlight, and, as we have already seen, 

 should be an effective means of ventilation. They and their 

 appliances for opening and shutting, especially in loose boxes, 

 should be out of the reach of the horses, which, in their hours 

 of idleness, generally like to play with anything they can get 

 hold of. 



