E AND STABLES.

2203. THE HORSE is the noblest of quadrupeds, whether we view
him in his strength, his sagacity, or his beauty. He is also the
most useful to man of all the animal creation; but his delicacy
is equal to his power and usefulness. No other animal, probably,
is so dependent on man in the state of domestication to which he
has been reduced, or deteriorates so rapidly under exposure, bad
feeding, or bad grooming. It is, therefore, a point of humanity,
not to speak of its obvious impolicy, for the owner of horses to
overlook any neglect in their feeding or grooming. His interest
dictates that so valuable an animal should be well housed, well
fed, and well groomed; and he will do well to acquire so much of
stable lore as will enable him to judge of these points himself.
In a general way, where a horse's coat is habitually rough and
untidy, there is a sad want of elbow-grease in the stable. When
a horse of tolerable breeding is dull and spiritless, he is
getting ill or badly fed; and where he is observed to perspire
much in the stables, is overfed, and probably eats his litter in
addition to his regular supply of food.

2204. _Stables_.--The architectural form of the stables will be
subject to other influences than ours; we confine ourselves,
therefore, to their internal arrangements. They should be roomy
in proportion to the number of stalls; warm, with good
ventilation, and perfectly free from cold draughts; the stalls
roomy, without excess, with good and well-trapped drainage, so
as to exclude bad smells; a sound ceiling to prevent the
entrance of dust from the hayloft, which is usually above them;
and there should be plenty of light, coming, however, either
from above or behind, so as not to glare in the horse's eye.

2205. _Heat_.--The first of these objects is attained, if the
stables are kept within a degree or two of 50 deg. in winter, and
60 deg. in summer; although some grooms insist on a much higher
temperature, in the interests of their own labour.

2206. _Ventilation_ is usually attained by the insertion of one
or more tubes or boxes of wood or iron through the ceiling and
the roof, with a sloping covering over the opening, to keep out
rain, and valves or ventilators below to regulate the
atmosphere, with openings in the walls for the admission of