84 STABLE BUILDING AND STABLE FITTING. 



" Descriptio7i of the Plates^'' and are all for the purpose of 

 securing the horse in the stable or whilst it is being dressed, 

 at the same time affording it sufficient freedom when it is 

 feeding or at rest. 

 Smithy The fittings of a smithy are not of a numerous kind, the 



fittings. hearth being the most important. This is usually a solid con- 



struction of brickwork, and is fully described in Chapter III., 

 although a very heavy hood of iron is now frequently used as a 

 substitute for brickwork. 

 Hearths, A portable hearth, as shown in Fig. 53, is a great con- 



bellows, &c. yenience where a limited number of horses are kept. It is 

 known as the " Cyclops " hearth, and may be fitted with a 

 blower or ordinary bellows, or with a fan worked by means of 

 a simple hand-wheel and strap. The latter produces a welding 

 heat in less time than an ordinary bellows. The two descriptions 

 of bellows u^ed in smithies are illustrated by Figs. 54 and 55 ; 



Fig. 55. 



Fig. S3. 



Fig. 54. 



Vice-bench. 



the latter is now in most general use, and occupies the least 

 area. The anvil blocks should be 3 feet by i foot 6 inches in 

 dimension, and consist of a block of yellow timber let into the 

 floor and bedded in concrete to the depth of at least i foot 

 9 inches. 



The smithy should also be fitted with a vice-bench of the 



