OPERATIONS ON THE STABLE. 133 



generally introduced. In cavalry, hunting, racing, and some 

 of the superior coaching-stables, the stalls are completely 

 emptied every morning ; but in very many others, though 

 there may be a general and complete purification once or twice 

 in a month, yet at other times much of the rotten and wet litter 

 is left to form a bed for the new straw. While not in sufficient 

 quantity to produce any sensible impurity of the air, it can 

 only be called a slovenly, not a pernicious practice. But the 

 stables of farmers and carters are in general too bad. Their 

 horses never have a decent bed. There are no fixed times 

 for changing the litter. When it becomes so wet and filthy 

 that the keeper is somewhat ashamed to see it, he throws down 

 some fresh straw to conceal that which ought to be taken 

 away. That is done, perhaps, every day ; but it is not till the 

 horse is standing fetlock-deep in a reeking dunghill, that the 

 stall is cleaned to the bottom. 



Upon such a bed the horse can never obtain unbroken rest ; 

 and the stable can never be comfortable. The noxious vapors 

 arising from the rotting litter are destructive to the eyes, the 

 lungs, and to the general health or strength. When there is 

 a circulation of air sufficient to carry off these vapors, the 

 stable is cold. While the horse is lying, the cold air is blow- 

 ing over him on the one side, and the dunghill is roasting him 

 on the other. 



This is an old practice, and, of course, not to be abandoned 

 without a struggle. The farmer contends that it is the right 

 way to make good manure, and the carter that it saves the 

 consumption of straw. Manure may be made in this way, 

 perhaps, well enough : but horses are surely not kept for that 

 purpose. Visit the stables of those who have been successful 

 farmers. See how they contrive to obtain manure. 



Day Bedding. — Among veterinarians it has been a disputed 

 point whether or not the horse should have litter below him 

 during the day, some contending that he should, others that 

 he should not. The straw, it is said, heats the feet, produces 

 constaction, tenderness, and thrushes. It does nothing of 

 the kind, never did, and never will. It does no harm what- 

 ever. There is no need for either argument or experiment 

 to decide this matter. It has already been tried on many 

 thousand horses, and thousands more may be seen every day, 

 who stand on straw twenty hours out of the twenty-four without 

 receiving the slightest injury from it. If the straw be rotten 

 dung, hot and wet, thrushes will be produced ; but this dung- 

 hill, which some people call bedding, will do the feet no other 



12 



