236 STABLES. 



water, and grooms are often so oblivious of this fact, that I feel 

 certain it is a mistake to have, presumably alongside a horse, 

 a fixed water vessel, which, we may be quite sure, will not be 

 cleaned out as frequently as will be necessary. Observation 

 convinces me that when a horse has a bucket or basin of 

 water constantly in front of him, he will unduly slaver into 

 it and foul it, so that its inner surface will soon be covered 

 with mucus and dirt, which will not always be cleaned away 

 by the groom, even if he be careful enough to keep the vessel 

 constantly full. When the receptacle is a fixture, the cleaning 

 out process can be accomplished only with difficulty. The 

 arrangement by which its contents can be tilted into the drain 

 or waste pipe by a mechanism somewhat resembling that used 

 with the revolving covers of silver or plated entree dishes,, 

 facilitates the removal of stale water, but in no way ensures 

 the cleaning of the vessel. Again, the constant presence of 

 water alongside the manger often prompts a horse to play with 

 the water and thus wet his corn in a manner that cannot be 

 good for his digestion. I would therefore advise that instead 

 of a constant supply of water being kept within reach of a 

 horse tied up in a stall, he should be watered by his 

 groom in the manner described in Chapter IV. If, how- 

 ever, the owner prefers the constant supply plan, I would 

 counsel him to get a cylindrical cavity made alongside 

 the manger, so that a sheet iron or zinc bucket without 

 a handle could be placed in it, and to give strict orders 

 that the bucket must be removed, emptied out, re-filled, and 

 replaced at least three times a day ; say, first thing in 

 the morning, before the mid-day feed, and last thing at 

 night. 



If the wall of the stall is not made of glazed bricks and 

 expense is no object, the appearance of the stall will be greatly 

 improved and its cleanliness promoted by having the portion 

 of the wall above the manger, say, for a height of 3 ft., 



