LOOSE-BOXES. 31 



horse is feeding. By this plan no projection offers for him 

 to take hold of by his mouth in order to suck air into the 

 stomach. Thus, with regular food and regular work, 

 together with his home in a loose-box, the horse often 

 entirely forgets his former very injurious habits. Again, 

 the foot cannot get over the halter during the night, nor 

 is the horse ever found cast, and unable to rise when the 

 stableman enters in the morning; yet this is often seen 

 when tied to the manger in the usual way. 



The loose-box is certainly a remedy for many of the faults 

 and ills to which horses are liable, particularly some of the 

 vices in the stable and those affections of the joints arising 

 from narrow stalls and hard work. 



The disadvantages of loose-boxes, if disadvantages 

 we may call them, when compared with the advantages 

 just detailed, are not many, when properly considered. 

 To the minds of some persons, however, they will be con- 

 siderable, when taking into account the extra quantity of 

 straw for litter or bedding that is required, and the fact 

 that the space for one box will make two stalls. These 

 perhaps are sufficient to condemn them, if economy be 

 the rule for estimation in such matters. 



The " quarters" (hips) of horses during the night will 

 frequently be found to be badly stained from lying in every 

 position on their excretions evacuated over the bedding in 

 all parts of the box. This, however, is not always the 

 case, for many horses are very cleanly in their habits, as is 



