GROOMING. 383 



in the stable only during a few hours in the day, this is not of so 

 much consequence, nor of so much, probably, with regard to horsos 

 of slow work ; but to carriage-horses and hackneys, so far, at least, 

 as the eyes are concerned, a dark stable is Httle less injurious than 

 a foul and heated one. In order to illustrate this, reference may 

 be made to the unpleasant feeling, and the utter impossibility of 

 seeing distinctly, when a man suddenly emerges from a dark place 

 into the fuU blaze of day. The sensation of mingled pain and 

 giddiness is not soon forgotten ; and some minutes pass before the 

 eye can accommodate itself to the mcreased light. If this were 

 to happen every day, or several times in the day, the sight would 

 be irreparably injured, or possibly blindness would ensue. Can 

 we wonder, then, that the horse, taken from a dark stable into a 

 glare of light, feeling, probably, as we should do under similar 

 circumstances, and unable for a considerable time to see anything 

 around him distinctly, should become a starter, or that the fre 

 quently repeated violent eiTect of sudden light should induce in- 

 flammation of the eye so intense as to terminate in blindness ? 

 There is, indeed, no doubt that horses kept in dark stables are ' 

 frequently notorious starters, and that abominable habit has been 

 properly, traced to this cause. 



If plenty of light is admitted, the walls of the stable, and es- 

 pecially that portion of them which is before the horse's head, 

 must not be of too glaring a color. The color of the stable should 

 depend on the quantity of light. Where much can be admitted, 

 the walls should be of a gray hue. Where darkness would other- 

 wise prevail, frequent whitewashing may in some degree dissipate 

 the gloom. 



For another reason, it wiU be evident that the stable should not 

 possess too glaring a light : it is the resting-place of the horse. 

 The work of the farmer's horse, indeed, is confined principally to 

 the day. The hour of exertion having passed, the animal retiims 

 to his stable to feed and to repose, and the latter is as necessary 

 as the former, in order to prepare him for renewed work. Some- 

 thing approaching to the dimness of twUight is requisite to induce 

 the animal to compose himself to sleep. This half-light more 

 particularly suits horses of heavy work. In the quietness of a 

 dimly-lighted stable, they obtain repose, and accumulate flesh and 

 fat. 



GROOMING. 



Of this, much need not be said to the agriculturist, since cus- 

 tom, and apparently without ill effect, has allotted so little of the 

 comb and brush to the farmer's horse. The animal that is worked 

 all day, and turned out at night, requires little more to be done 



