TIDYING THE STABLE. 117 



let the head down, darken the stable, and give good bedding 

 to the stall : thus the legs and feet of many an excellent 

 horse will be made comfortable, and wear many years 

 longer than by a diiferent and inconsiderate treatment. 

 The latter consideration is more applicable to the driving, 

 carriage, and saddle horses, but not at all inapplicable to 

 horses of all work, when a day is allowed them in the 

 stable. 



The recommendations in this chapter are more particu- 

 larly designed for the benefit of city horses, but we do not 

 know of any class of horsemen or owners, if it be not, first, 

 the farmer, and second, some of the livery stablemen of 

 Philadelphia, and other large cities and towns, that can be 

 benefited so much by following our instructions, at least so 

 far as cleanline^5s and taste are concerned ; for it is not an 

 unusual habit for farmers to have their horses standing in 

 filth and dirt up to their knees months at a time — a stereo- 

 typed habit, which sliould be abandoned as not fit for the 

 healthful treatment even of the pig. This carelessness in 

 the stable of the farmer cannot be accounted for upon any 

 other hypothesis than the force of habit, a lazy disposition, 

 and complete ignorance of the laws that govern animal life 

 and the nature of the horse. Besides, it shows the want 

 of capacity to manage the ordinary afiairs which pertain to 

 the everyday duty of the farm and the stable. Farmers 

 and others who allow this state of affairs in the stable, must 

 be taught to expect in the spring epizootic disease of some 

 kind — lung fever, typhoid influenza, sore eyes, swelled 



