HABITATIONS 317 



under it -when lying down. It is made deep behind and 

 hangs close to the ground for the sole reason of preventing 

 the animal getting his hind quarters under it, and having 

 perhaps a difficulty in rising. All this can, however, be 

 prevented by collar chains or head ropes of proper length. 



Another excellent means of tying up horses in bailed 

 stables is that shown in Fig. 114, viz., a sliding ring on a 

 vertical bar. With this contrivance it is impossible for the 

 head chain to be left too long, and such a chain is correctly 

 fitted when, with the horse's head over the manger, it is 

 sufficiently long to enable him to raise it to its natural 

 height. 



The stalls in a bailed stable can be reduced to 5 feet 

 6 inches wide, excepting for big horses, where they should 

 not be less than 6 feet 6 inches ; while the length from 

 manger to heel post, or to the end of the bail, as the case 

 may be, should not be less than 10 feet. 



The Drainage of these stables should be of the simplest 

 and most effective kind, viz., surface, for a full account of 

 which the chapter on drainage must be consulted. 



The Doors for a large stable should be sliding and in two 

 halves longitudinally divided, each half should be four feet 

 wide, giving an opening of eight feet when both are pushed 

 back. There should also be doors at the middle of the stable 

 on either side of the building, and a door at the opposite end. 

 The end door should be sliding, the side door owing to the 

 stalls will have to open inwards. Doors are a powerful 

 means of drying the floor and flushing out the stable with 

 air when the horses are at work. 



Up the centre of the stable should be a passage about 

 10 feet in width. 



Litter Shed. — Outside the stable protected by a veranda 

 should be litter shed, where the bedding can be placed 

 during the day instead of leaving it in the stable. 



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