CONSTRUCTION OF STABLES. 37 



Fig. 5 represents a low rack and two iron mangers, one 

 for grain, another for water. It is taken from the stables of 

 Mr. Johnstone, of Blair Lodge, near Falkirk. He has about 

 ten stalls fitted up in this manner. The bottom of the rack, 

 I think, comes too near the ground. The npper border ought 

 to stand at the height of three feet eight inches ; when lower, 

 these under-racks, particularly in a lofty stable, are very 

 dangerous. The horses may get their fore-feet into them. 



In some stables there are no racks. The hay is thrown on 

 the ground, or it is cut and placed in the manger. The first 

 is a wasteful practice, and not common ; the horse destroys 

 more hay than he eats. The second, that of cutting the hay 

 into chaif, is advisable only under certain circumstances. 

 At times hay is so cheap, that the quantity saved does not pay 

 the cost of converting it into chafi'. AVhether that be the case 

 or not, it is proper in large establishments to have racks m 

 some of the stalls. This will be understood by referring to 

 the article on Preparing Food. 



The usual mode of filling the hay-rach is none of the best. 

 When the loft is over the stable, as it alv/ays is in towns, the 

 hay is put into the rack by a hole directly over it communica- 

 ting with the loft. For certain reasons these holes ought to 

 be abolished, and in a great many stables they are. The 

 moist foul air of the stable passes through them ; it mingles 

 with the hay and contaminates it. The dust and the seed 

 which are thrown down with the hay, fall upon the mane, 

 into the ears and the eyes, and annoy the horse as well as 

 soil him. Hence, he learns a trick ol standing back, or break- 

 ing his halter ; and horses have been seriously injured by the 

 hay-fork slipping from the hand of a careless groom and fall- 

 ing upon the head or neck. There should be no communi- 

 cation between the loft and the stable. The hay can be rolled 

 into a bundle and put into the rack from the stable. It can 

 be thrown in at the top. The upper spars of low racks, when 

 they have any, should be fixed to a frame opening on hinges ; 

 it saves the time consumed in thrusting it through the spars. 

 M'he other racks are all quite open at top, and the hay is 

 thrown in by a fork. 



[The most common method in America is, to construct the 

 barns with a space or hall of about fourteen feet in width be- 

 tween the stalls which face each other, and running through 

 the whole width of the building. The hay is then thrown 

 from the loft on to the hall fioor, and thence into the racks. 

 This space acts as an admirable ventilator, and is otherwise 



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