The Stable Handbook 



Badminton stables. To my mind the choice is 

 confined to the last two. I will set down their 

 advantages and disadvantages as I have found 

 them. Of the economy in the matter of hay, 

 which the use^ of peat-moss brings with it, I have 

 written, and this to me goes far to decide the 

 question. When I have provided my horses with 

 the best old hay, I Hke to see them eat it and not 

 trample it under foot. Peat-moss saves labour. 

 It is far less trouble than straw. Where straw is 

 used it is absolutely necessary that every bed 

 should be put outside the stable every morning. 

 This is a great deal of trouble to the grooms and 

 some bother to the master to enforce it. The 

 peat-moss only requires, first, that the Htter should 

 be raked to the sides of the box or stall, so that 

 for some hours each day the horse shall stand on 

 the bricks or concrete. With due care, I have 

 found no ill effects to the hoofs of the horses. I 

 am liberal in the way of getting rid of all the 

 soiled portion. I would rather that a groom threw 

 away too much than too little. I like the way 

 peat moss deodorizes a stable. As manure it is, I 

 think, inferior to straw. At least I could obtain 

 6d. a load less for the contents of my dung-pit 

 when I used peat-moss than when I used straw. 

 As a matter of fact, I do not think one can 

 dogmatise about the value of any manure, so 

 much depends on the soil you want it for. As 

 to cost, I do not think that in small stables there 



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