49 



In speaking of the baneful effects of stalls Mr. Turner 

 says, " I firmly believe, that, if every valuable horse in this 

 kingdom were to be forthwith turned into a large box night 

 and day besides the continuance at his ordinary work, it 

 would prove the worst event for veterinary surgeons, that 

 has ever happened in the horse world, because it would tend 

 more to cut off our supply of groggy lameness and its 

 attendants, than any circumstance, or single cause, that has 

 ever yet been published or even named." 



With the expression of my entire concurrence in this opinion 

 I will proceed to consider the objections, commonly urged 

 against loose boxes, which for the most part are so weak, 

 that I cannot conceive their prevailing much longer against 

 such vast advantages ; the only serious one is want of space ; 

 and that is often pleaded, where it has no real existence. Most 

 modern stables contain stalls from six to seven feet wide, with 

 plenty of room behind the horses to allow of passing, without 

 incurring the danger of being kicked : in such a stable sink 

 a second heel post at just sufficient distance from the wall, to 

 leave a free passage ; and take the space, so gained, into the 

 stall ; close it with a gate, and you will have a very fair sub- 

 stitute, in the absence of a better, for a loose box, and that 

 too without sacrificing a standing for a horse : but, if a 

 stall can be conveniently spared, a four stalled stable may 

 be converted into three very good boxes by shifting the 

 divisions, and taking in the space in the rear of the horse.'" 



Upon the whole I very much prefer this kind of arrange- 

 ment, with of course as much sj^ace, as can be afforded to each 



* Plate 8, fig. 2. 



