40 STABLE ECONOMY. 



the surface of the soil, and for this reason he ought not to have 

 it elevated. With as much force they might object to the use 

 of chairs, tables, and beds, in our own dwelling-houses. They 

 do not attempt to show that the horse suffers any inconveni- 

 ence by feeding from a high manger, or that he likes better 

 to eat off the ground. C4od made it easy but not necessary 

 for him to do so. Before domestication he may be indifferent 

 about the situation of his food ; but every groom knows that 

 a stabled horse likes to have both his grain and his water held 

 to a level with his head. There is no reason whatever for 

 having the mangers low, but there is reason for having them 

 high. When too low, the horse can not feed so easily, and 

 he is aj3t to receive injury by stepping into the manger, or by 

 setting his feet on its edge, and, when lying, it is in his way. 



The top of the manger ought to stand between three feet 

 six inches and four feet from the ground. For horses about 

 fifteen hands it may be three feet six or eight inches ; for 

 ponies it must be lower in proportion to their height ; for the 

 very tallest horse it does not require to be more than four feet 

 high. When too high, the horse can not get his muzzle to 

 the bottom ; when too low, he is very apt to get his fore-feet 

 into it. This last accident happens so often, and so frequently 

 lames the horse, that it is rather surprising a low manger 

 should be so common. The manger, indeed, is not blamed so 

 often as the horse, who is chastised and tied down, or sold off as 

 incurably mischievous. It would surely be an easy matter to 

 raise the manger to its proper height. Horses that like to 

 see about them, are most prone to the trick of jumping into it. 



A short manger may be placed either directly in front of the 

 horse, or in one corner. It is better to have it in the latter 

 situation, on the right side, supposing the rack to be placed on 

 the left. When in front, it is apt to incommode the horse as 

 he is lying down or rising up. Iron mangers (see Fig. 6), 

 of small dimensions, are sometimes made of a triangular form 

 to fit into corners. They do well enough to hold a feed of 

 oats, but they are all a great deal too small for the mixed food 

 which is now given to many horses. 



A long manger, long as the stall is broad, has a space below 

 it unoccupied, save by litter, which, when not perfectly free 

 from moisture, ought never to be placed in this situation. To 

 prevent a careless groom from putting the litter here, and to 

 prevent the horse from getting his head below the manger and 

 hurting himself when rising, this vacancy ought to be boarded 

 up. The boarding may slope from the top of the manger down- 



