STABLE. 



beinff much more fafc and convenient in different points of 

 view, both for tlie horfes and perfon» employed about 

 them. 



. Further, it is likewife conceived, that the paving ol 

 (tables is a matter of great importance, though it has 

 been hitherto but little attended to : whether the ftall 

 {hould have a flight declivity, or be perfedly level, has not, 

 perhaps, yet been fo fully determined as it ought. It 

 would appear, however, to be more natural and eafy for 

 thefe animals to Hand and reft themfelves on a level fur- 

 face, than on one that is floping, as it is evident that the 

 tendons or finews of the paftern joints muft be kept more 

 upon the ftrctch in the latter than in the former cafe. The 

 main difficulty in regard to a level ftall has been the con- 

 veying away of the moifture ; but this may be well effected 

 by paving the ftall perfeAly level, and only leaving a fmall 

 drain in the middle, extending within two or three feet of 

 the upper end of the ftall ; but which fliould not be more 

 than ieven or eight inches wide at top, forming an angle at 

 the bottom. The depth at the end neareft the head of the 

 ftall need not be more than three or four inches deep, having as 

 much flope as can be conveniently given it backwards, in order 

 that it may carry the moifture off quickly to the main drain, 

 into which all the ftall-drains Ihould have a fall, and the 

 moifture be difcharged. And the fmall ftall-drains muft alfo 

 be covered with a piece of good ftrong oak-plank, in which 

 a great number of holes are bored, and which muft be fo 

 faftened, as to admit of its being readily raifed up and let 

 down ; as by this means the drains may be wafhed, and kept 

 clean and fweet, as often as they are found to be furred up 

 and obftrufted. And befides thefe, main drains muft be 

 made at the end of the ftalls, or in fome other convenient 

 fituation, for carrying off the moifture into the general re- 

 ceptsclc. Where they are placed at the bottoms of the 

 ftalls, they fiiould not be clofer to the ftalls than two feet, in 

 order that the ftale of mares may get readily into them, 

 which would not be the cafe if they were nearer, unlefs the 

 pavement behind the ftalls was made to decline a little to- 

 wards them. Thefe main drains need not be more than 

 feven or eight inches wide at the top, but they ftiould be 

 covered with plank, in which holes are perforated for con- 

 veying away the moifture and wetnefs. But with the view 

 of faving the expence of making main drains within the 

 ftable, a ftiallow open drain may be made in the common 

 way, with which the ftall-drains may communicate by means 

 of very fmall grates at the ends. And it ftiould be obferved, 

 that the pavements or floors of the ftalls ftiould have a very 

 flight decKnation from their fides towards the drains, to pre- 

 vent moiilure ftanding on them ; an inch, or an inch and a 

 half in the whole, will, however, be quite fufficient for 

 thefs purpofes. 



It may be noticed, in regard to the fizes of ftalls, that 

 they differ much according to circumftances ; but four feet 

 and a half in width are the leaft they ftiould ever be made, 

 and five feet are much better. The divifions between them 

 (hould be high, fo that Itrange horfes may not fee each other. 

 But where ftaUione are kept, or young horfes required to 

 be left loofe in a ftall, they ftiould be fo inclofed as to be 

 incapable of doing mifchief. And for thefe purpofes, one 

 or more ftalls may be fparred to the top, or doors provided, 

 which may be hung to the back pofts of the ftable. Where 

 this laft method is followed, the ftalls ferve extremely well 

 for keeping different mares and their foals feparate from 

 others, as well as many other ufeful purpofes in the b-ufinefs 

 of horfe-managemcnt with the farmer. 



But the writer of the Eaft Lothian Agricultural Survey 



has remarked, that fometimes ftalls are made double ; and at 

 farm-horfes generally work in pairs, each pair that work to- 

 gether have one of thefe double ftalls ; for horles are focial 

 animals, and it is faid they feed better, and are more cheer- 

 ful, when they live in fociety. But even in thig cafe it is 

 proper they ftiould be faftened to the oppofite fides of the 

 ftall, and that each horfe Ihould have his own rack and his 

 own manger ; for although they may feem to have a very 

 great attachment to each other, yet if the dividing of their 

 food is left to themfelves, it is more than probable they will 

 quarrel about it, and that the ftrongeft horfe will have the 

 beit ftiare. But fuch farm-ftables as contain only one row 

 of ftalls, with one horfe in each ftall, are, on the whole, 

 the moll ufeful and convenient ; and if the ftalls are 

 fufficiently large, and the divifions between them raifed fuf- 

 ficiently high, not with fpars, as often is the cafe, but with 

 boards clofely joined, each horfe will be allowed to eat his 

 proportion of corn and hay equally, and allowed to take 

 the neceffary reft, without danger of being difturbedj by a 

 troublefome neighbour. The ftable ought to be well paved, 

 and of a fufficient breadth, to leave a fpace of at leaft fix or 

 Ieven feet behind each horfe, for a fafe paftage to the fer- 

 vants in hanging the harnefs upon the wall, &c. The pave- 

 ment fliould decline very gradually from the horfe's head 

 backwards, towards the channel at his heels, which ftiould 

 alfo decline, in the fame gradual manner, towards one end of 

 the ftable, where the urine may be received into a refervoir. 

 Proper openings ftiould alfo be left in the walls, for the 

 purpofe of ventilation ; thefe fliould be fitted with Aiding or 

 flap-boards, opened in the morning, when the horfes go out 

 to work, and fliut in the evening : in this way the ftables 

 will be properly ventilated ; and every rifle of cold, from 

 having thefe openings uncovered during the night, be 

 avoided. 



The fmell of a ftable, where the dung has been allowed 

 to remain for a week or ten days, is intolerable ; and the 

 volatile alkali generated is fo ftrong as to penetrate and affeft 

 both the eyes and nofes of perfons entering into it, in a very 

 difagreeable manner. The confequence is, the horfes are 

 fickened and enervated by the heat and offenfive fmell during 

 the night ; a part of their food, being impregnated with the 

 effluvia, is loathed and rcjefted ; and, in the morning, when 

 they are taken out to work, inltead of the fprightly appear- 

 ance exhibited by animals that have been well fed and had a 

 comfortable bed, their hanging ears and heavy fluggifti ap- 

 pearance diltinftly mark the ftate of the ftables they have 

 quitted. 



However, in order to render the forming and conftrufting 

 of the different internal parts of ftables more clear and eafy, 

 it may be neceffary to have recourfe to fome account and 

 explanation of them. In the old common and ufual modes 

 of placing the racks and mangers in ftables, as in fome mea- 

 fure fuggefted above, the former are moftly put in a ftanting 

 outward upward direftion, fo as that the top parts of them 

 may have a projcftion or fpace of two feet or more from 

 the walls, while the lower parts reft againft them. The 

 btter are conttantly placed a little below and underneath 

 them, moftly extending quite acrofs the ftalls. In thefe 

 modes of fixine thefe internal parts of ftables, there is feldom 

 or ever any fort of contrivances for either preferving the 

 feeds, or preventing their faUing upon the heads of the 

 horfes, while they are eating. Nor is the hay, or other 

 fodder, guarded againft being pulled out, trodden under 

 foot, and wafted by the animals. They are confequently 

 very uneconomical in their nature and confequenccs. 



But in the improved methods of placing thefe internal 



parts. 



