Breeding Horses. 
259 
for a short time, the grass will be convenient for the milk, and 
the weather warm for the foals. These will do well with the 
mares at grass (after being kept in for a few nights) till the 
autumn. I work my mares moderately, up to the day of foaling, 
and I think it assists the operation ; but they should not be put 
to snatching, distressing work. When the foals are weaned in 
the autumn, they must have shelter, and be well kept. A few 
oats, cut roots,' cut hay, and a little bran, will do well for them 
till they go to grass again in the following summer, during which 
time the colts must be castrated. In the winter they may again 
be kept in the sheds. They should never be allowed to get poor. 
They will be useful at three j ears old, and do half the work of 
horses, if kept in a cool, well-ventilated stable. 
I have just read some observations made by Mr. Ruck, in the 
course of his recent lecture upon steam cultivation, delivered 
before the Royal Agricultural Society. He describes the incon- 
venience he has suffered from the illness of his farm horses, which 
appears to me excessive when I compare it with my own expe- 
rience. I will therefoie detail with some minuteness how I 
think such misfortunes may be avoided by gentlemen equally 
unfortunate with Mr. Ruck, who are compelled to employ horses 
in consequence of their farms being too small to allow of the use 
of Mr. Fowlei''s steam-tackle. 
With the aid of three illustrations I will describe the stable in 
which the cart-horse can live healthily, consume his food without 
waste, while the liquid manure is economised for the highest 
fertilising purposes. (See pp. 260, 261.) 
The stable should not be less than 18 feet wide, and of such a 
length as will allow a 6-feet standing for each horse. It should be 
10 feet high. The horses stand in a single roAv, and the harness 
is hung on pegs in the wall behind them. This width admits of 
thorough ventilation to the stable, without subjecting the horses to 
draughts. Each standing should be parted off by an upright post 
reaching from the ground to the ceiling rafter, placed 3 feet off 
from the wall at the horse's head. These partitions should be 
closely boarded up 3 feet above the manger and hay crib, to pre- 
vent the horses quarrelling about the food, and kicking each other. 
To each of these posts a bale, 8 feet long and 1 foot 8 inches Avide, 
should be hung by a strong chain, to divide the standings, and 
suspended by another strong chain at the hinder end from the 
ceiling rafter. Each chain should have a hook and eye within 
reach, that may be readily unfastened. This arrangement will leave 
a space of 6 feet opposite the head of each horse, available for 
feeding purposes. The manger for corn and chaff may be made 
2 feet 6 inches long. It should be 2 feet wide at the top ; 1 foot 
