FOUNDATIONS— STALLS. 157 



liis arguments are based upon certain assumed facts which T hesi- 

 tate to accept. It should not be forgotten that his own stable, 

 which is undoubtedly a pet one, was accidentally built to face the 

 north ; and, therefore, while, on the one hand, his experience of 

 the advantages of this aspect should be accepted with all respect; 

 on the other, it may be conceded that he naturally has a tendency 

 to overlook the disadvantages because they are inevitable. 



FOUNDATIONS. 



In most cases stables are not built of more than the basement 

 story, with a loft over, which is generally, almost entirely, con- 

 structed in the roof; the walls, therefore, are not high, and do not 

 require deep foundations, even if they are built on clay, which is 

 more liable to cause cracks, &c, than any other species of soil of a 

 uniform character. It is a very common plan, on this account, to 

 lay the foundations of any kind of coarse and stony material ; but if 

 this is done, a course of broken slates should be laid in cement a 

 little above the level of the ground ; or, instead of this, a course 

 or two of hard bricks should be laid in the same material, so as to 

 prevent the damp from striking up the walls by capillary attrac- 

 tion. A neglect of this precaution has, in several instances within 

 my own knowledge, kept stables damp in spite of attention to 

 drainage and a resort to all sorts of expedients which could be car- 

 ried out subsequent to the building of the walls. 



STALLS AND LOOSE BOXES. 



With regard to the number of stalls or loose boxes which 

 should be grouped together in one apartment, there is little differ- 

 ence of opinion now-a-days among practical men, that more than 

 from four to six horses should not be allowed to stand together. 

 The former number is the better; but sometimes there may be 

 circumstances which will excuse the latter being adopted ; as, for 

 instance, when this number are kept, and the space occupied by a 

 partition-wall is an object. Even then, however, a boarded parti- 

 tion may be introduced, and as it will not occupy an additional 

 room, there is no objection on that account. When a larger num- 

 ber of horses are stabled together, there is great difficulty in keep- 

 ing up an even temperature, unless, as in the case of omnibui and 

 cab horses the same number are nearly always absent at work. In 

 private stables, however, all or nearly all the horses are often out 

 at once, and then in a large space the temperature is reduced so 

 much, that when they return, two or three at a time, followed by 

 others, and compel the doors to be constantly opened and shut, 

 there is, first of all, danger of chilling each as he comes in, and if 

 he escapes this, of producing that injurious effect when the next 

 horse comes home. Practically it is found that the long row of 



