PLANNING AND ARRANGEMENT. 7 



coachman, the mess-rooms and sleeping apartments of the 

 grooms, the harness, saddle, washing-rooms, and stores, should 

 be in a central position, but easily accessible from the stalls and 

 loose boxes. Where special provision is made for washing, as in 

 the case of hunters, the washing-room should adjoin the saddle- 

 room, or form a part of an ante to the stable, into which the 

 saddle-room may be made to open. 



This room should have plenty of Hght, and a liberal provision Washing- 

 for hot and cold water, but in ordinary cases the horses are ^°°'^' 

 either groomed in their stalls, in a box set aside or built for 

 that purpose, or outside the stable, sometimes under cover on 

 a paved area, as shown on Plates i and 6. 



A good arrangement is obtained by an archway entrance to Vestibule to 

 a vestibule, with access on either side to the stalls and loose stables, 

 boxes, where a convenient place can be found for a boiler and 

 sink. This plan ensures a freedom from draughts, where the 

 aspect is not a good one, and affords a shelter for the groom. 



In the country, where the area of the yard is seldom limited Arrangement 

 and almost any aspect can be obtained, the greatest facility g^^^^^^g^ 

 will be found for the disposition of the several buildings ; but 

 even in London, where inclosed spaces have been secured, 

 some examples of the best description of stabling exist. In 

 Sackville Street, Piccadilly, there are some well-planned stables 

 for a large number of horses. In the front, on either side of 

 the entrance gates, are two four-stall stables ; two separate 

 coach-houses, loose boxes, a stable for two horses on night 

 duty, washing-boxes, and harness-rooms, are arranged round 

 the court yard. On its right and left hand are two separate 

 staircases, one leading to the coachman's residence, and the other 

 to the grooms' and helpers' rooms, and sleeping apartments. 



If the site allows it, stables are better without rooms or lofts Rooms over 

 above them, unless the floors are made of concrete ; for if the ^^^" ^^' 

 grooms' apartments are over the horses, and divided from 

 them by a wooden flooring only, the noise is liable to disturb 

 their rest at night ; and if the hay-loft is over the stable, the 



