288 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE. 
THE STABLE. 
The first thing to notice is that the occupants poke 
their heads out as we approach. This means that 
they are kept in box stalls, and are accustomed to 
be petted and to be fed with apples, carrots, and other 
equine dainties. I am a believer in box stalls. A 
horse loose in his box —and he should not be tied 
unless for some special reason — gets an appreciable 
amount of exercise in walking about his quarters. 
The difference in this respect is so great that often 
a horse, whose legs stock in a straight stall, will re- 
main perfectly smooth if he be given the run of a 
loose box. So also, the animal in a box stall, having 
more freedom of movement, is much less likely to 
take to kicking, cribbing, or weaving, — all these 
vices being induced by ennui and restlessness. But. 
the chief advantage of a box stall is that it gives the 
horse more opportunity to lie down, to stretch him- 
self, and to roll. He likes to le, as a dog does, 
with his head flat on the ground, and with all four 
legs stretched out at length, and this attitude is 
impossible in a straight stall unless it be extraordi- 
narily wide. Every stable should contain at least 
one box stall, to be occupied by the horses in turn, 
or in case of illness. 
The more a horse lies down, the longer will his legs. 
and feet last. Therefore, in a straight as well as in 
a box stall there should always be bedding under the 
horse, and, if tied at all, he should be so tied that 
he can lie down at ease. It is a common, almost an 
invariable, fault of grooms to tie up their horses too 
short, lest they should get cast. But with nine horses 
