INTERIOR ECONOMY AND SUPPLY 43 



shavings. The latter, called in the trade " shruff," 

 makes a very clean, sweet, and comfortable bed. 

 They are unfortunately difficult to get unless you 

 happen to be in the vicinity of a builder's work- 

 shop or mill. If he keeps on eating large quantities 

 of straw he will never be fit to go, and it may in 

 the end break his wind or make him a roarer. 



While on the subject of wind, it may be said that 

 it is a good thing to always damp the food of a 

 whistler or roarer. It is also a good thing to give 

 him his water out of an old tar-barrel. 



Note especially what Sir Frederick says about 

 ventilation. Many more horses cough from being 

 in a hot stable than from a cold one, and most 

 stables are too hot and close when the groom has 

 his way about the ventilation. On no account let 

 the dirt be washed off your horses' legs when they 

 come in from work or exercise. Rather than this, 

 if for any reason, such as pressure of time, etc., the 

 dirt cannot be got off at once, let the legs be 

 bandaged loosely and the dirt bj^tished off when 

 they are dry. Nothing leads to cracked heels, etc., 

 so much as the washing and not drying immediately 

 afterwards. If you had two men to each horse 

 washing would be very well. 



One word about shoeing. Get your blacksmith 

 to shoe your horses as described by Sir F. Fitz- 

 wygram in chapter Ixiv. of Horses and Stables; 

 take him the book, show him the pictures, and tell 

 him quietly, putting it as if it was your fad, and not 

 as if you wanted to teach him his work ; but in any 



