168 



THE HORSE. 



lating window or the separate ventilator I have described, will 

 keep any box in a healthy condition, if its drainage is properly 

 attended to. There is a very common notion that no ascending 

 shaft will remove the carbonic-acid gas, which is one of the results 

 of respiration, because its specific gravity is so great that it lies 

 close to the floor. This, however, is a fallacy in practice, though 

 perfectly correct in theory, because all gases have a tendency to 

 ' mix rapidly together ; and hence, although the weight of pure 

 carbonic acid gas is so great that it may be poured from one glass 

 into another, yet, as it is given gradually off by the lungs, it does 

 not remain separate, but mixes with the bulk of air in the stable, 

 and is carried off with it. For this reason, there is not the slightest 

 necessity to admit the fresh air near the bottom of the stable, as is 

 sometimes contended for. If it is attempted, nothing can prevent 

 a draught falling upon the bodies of the horses when they are 

 lying down, and they inevitably catch cold. If the upper regions 

 are kept pure, the whole air soon mixes; and thus, when the open- 

 ings are fixed near the ceiling, as I have described, all the good 

 which is wanted from them is obtained without any risk of draught. 



STABLE FITTINGS. 



There are two modes of 

 separating stalls from each 

 other; that most commonly 

 adopted in private stables being 

 the travis, whilst in cavalry and 

 cab stables the hanging bail is 

 used for the sake of economy 

 of money and space. The latter 

 being considerably cheaper than 

 the former, I shall describe it first. 

 All that is necessary is a strong 

 pole of ash, oak, or elm, which is 

 fixed about three feet from the 

 ground between the horses, one 

 end being attached to the manger 

 by a strong iron hook and eye, 

 and the other being either sus- 

 pended from the ceiling by a 

 chain or attached to a post, reach- 

 ing from the ground to the ceiling 

 in such a way that, if the horse 

 gets fixed under or over it, he can 

 readily be relieved by striking 

 upwards the ring (a), which 

 liberates the hook (5) and allows 

 the bail (c) to fall to the ground. 



