[ 3° 1 



CHAPTER VII. 



Stable fittings. — Stalls. — Loose - boxes. — Stall partitions. — 

 Government stable fittings. — Wood for partitions. — Backs 

 and mangers. — Feeding on the ground. — Movable fittings. 

 — Fork and broom racks. — Shelves. — Stall-post pegs. — 

 Dust and dirt. — Slovenly servants. 



I will now proceed to discuss what are termed the 

 internal fittings of the stable. First of all I would 

 draw attention to the fact that the stalls are 

 usually made far too narrow, and horses, therefore, 

 in being turned round in them, are very apt to 

 knock themselves about. They should, on the 

 contrary, be of such a width that a big horse can 

 move round with perfect ease ; they are also fre- 

 quently wanting in depth. 



As I remarked before, horses are apt, when the 

 slope of the ' standing ' is excessive, to rein back 

 on to the gangway. If the stall is deep enough 

 this should be impossible. Moreover, if they are 

 wide and deep enough, it is an easy matter to 

 contrive a loose-box by putting up bails of wood 



