280 BEDDING. 



forwards, he gets both hands under the dung and straw 

 upon which it is lying, and cants the dung into the skep. 

 The same procedure may be observed with other kinds of 

 comparatively long litter. If a horse is in the act of 

 dunging, and the groom is within reach, he can, at no 

 loss of dignity and with a considerable gain in cleanli- 

 ness, receive the dung in his hands, and deposit it in 

 the skep ; or, if there is time, he may catch it in the skep 

 in the first instance. In India, the practice among native 

 grooms is to hold an earthen pot under the horse or gelding, 

 and behind the mare, so as to catch the urine the moment 

 they see the animal stretch itself out. The same custom is 

 observed in some places on the Continent, where a pot with a 

 long handle is used. I do not like this plan, because horses 

 which are accustomed to it are apt, if the groom does not 

 hold the vessel for them, to abstain from staling for a long 

 time. This, however, is a mere matter of opinion on my part ; 

 for I have no exact data of any kind, either for condemning 

 this practice or for supporting it. 



In regular mucking-out with straw, any dung or soiled 

 portions of litter which are on the surface of the bedding, 

 should be picked up and put into the skep for removal to the 

 midden (dunghill), or in case of only slightly soiled straw, to 

 be dried in the open air or in the litter-shed for future 

 use. All the clean straw is heaped up in two or three 

 corners of the box or stall ; the floor swept out with a broom ; 

 all swept-up dirt removed ; and, if necessary, the floor dried 

 and disinfected in the manner described. The floor is then 

 allowed to remain exposed to the purifying action of the air, 

 until the bedding is required to be put under the horse, when 

 it is spread with the addition, if necessary, of fresh straw 

 or of slightly soiled straw that has been dried, and is 

 banked up, twisted in and finished off as already stated. 

 Instead of keeping the clean straw heaped up in the box or 



