4 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



We will begin at the situation. This latter 

 should, I need hardly say, be dry, sheltered, and 

 light, and, if possible, not on a clay soil. The 

 different soils come in this order : 



Sand, 1. Chalk, 3. 



Gravel, 2. Clay, 4. 



I have, you see, placed clay the last. 



In a sandy or gravelly soil water is generally 

 good, apart from the natural dryness of such soils ; 

 and the quality of water has a very marked effect 

 on the well-being of horses, and here, although 

 chalk, as a soil, is better than clay, still it must be 

 admitted that th^ water from the latter, being less 

 hard than that from the former, is more suitable for 

 horses ; nevertheless, no animals thrive as well on 

 clay as on chalk, and it is an indisputed fact that 

 where kennels are situated on a clay soil young 

 hounds are never so thriving as on any other kind 

 of soil. I therefore consider that clay must take a 

 ' back seat '; but on whatever soil stables may be 

 placed, they should on no account, if possible, be 

 situated in a dip or hollow. Common-sense argues 

 too strongly against their being so ; albeit, too 

 often such is the case — in many instances dryness 

 being sacrificed to the shelter afforded by a hill- 

 side. Shelter and warmth are doubtless necessary, 



