Part 109

And now the hour arrived to set all fancies and opinions at nought, and disclose what so many had so long and anxiously looked forward to ascertain. On clearing the ground, the following seventeen showed themselves, parading before the stand, to exhibit their varied beauties and accomplishments before the bouquet of female elegance and beauty which shone studded in brilliancy amidst an animated multitude:—

Lord Sligo’s ch. c. Daxon, by Langar—Cora A. Pavis. Sir R. Bulkeley’s b. c. Birdcatcher, by St. Patrick Calloway. Mr. Houldsworth’s b. c. David, by Catton S. Darling. Mr. Edmundson’s ch. c. Richmond, by Jack Spigot R. Johnson. Mr. Powlett’s gr. f. by Figaro J. Holmes. Lord Cleveland’s ch. c. Trustee, by Catton J. Day. Mr. Ridsdale’s b. c. Brother to Maria, by Whisker Scott. Lord Kelburne’s b. c. Retainer, by Jerry G. Nelson. Mr. F. Richardson’s b. c. Fang, by Langar Connolly. Mr. S. Fox’s br. c. Julius, by Jerry S. Templeman. Lord Exeter’s b. c. Byzantium, by Sultan Arnull. Mr. Skipsey’s b. c. Physician, by Brutandorf H. Edwards. Mr. W. Scott’s b. c. Carlton, by Catton Garbutt. Mr. Watt’s b. f. Nitocris, by Whisker T. Nicholson. Lord Langford’s b. c. Roué, by Starch T. Lye. Mr. Beardsworth’s br. c. Ludlow, by Filho da Puta Wright. Mr. Gully’s ch. c. Margrave, by Muley J. Robinson.

After the usual parading, the whole drew up together, and made a false start—Ludlow, Physician, and Carlton staying behind, and all the others going some distance before they could be pulled up. On re-assembling, a most excellent and beautiful start was effected, the lot going away in a cluster, with Mr. Powlett’s filly leading for about two hundred yards, when Roué took it from her—Carlton, the filly, Physician, Nitocris, Birdcatcher, Richmond, Trustee, Maria, Retainer, Julius, and Fang following alongside in front, and the others well up, at one of the worst Leger paces ever witnessed, and all keeping their ground over the hill to the T. Y. C. post, when Mr. Pavis began to handle the whipcord to Daxon, who was the first that exhibited defeat. The example, however, was soon found to have plenty of imitators; for, before reaching the Red House, Fang, Nitocris, Trustee, Carlton, Roué, and Brother to Maria, fell away from the contest—Mr. Powlett’s mare coming round the corner down to the rails with a very promising and flattering appearance, followed closely by Birdcatcher, Physician, Retainer, and Richmond; Margrave lying two or three lengths in the rear. On reaching the rails Calloway came out with Birdcatcher, went up to the Figaro filly, at the distance defeated her, and looked very much like a winner; but Robinson, who had patiently waited, now crept up on the outside, making his ground by a gradual steady advance. At the stand he caught the Birdcatcher, and left him at the post in the rear by three-quarters of a length, amid the deafening shouts of the lads “wot had put the siller on the back of Muley’s son.” The Figaro filly ran in third, Physician (only beat by the filly a head) fourth, Richmond fifth, Retainer sixth, and David seventh—Ludlow, Fang, Byzantium, and Carlton landing the four _last_ horses of the race.

SAFETY TRIGGER, _s._

Safety-triggers have been introduced to obviate, if possible, the fatal accidents which have arisen from accidental discharges. Many plans have been devised to effect this most desirable object. Among the most ingenious, one by Goulding, and another by Moore, are among the most novel, and probably the most effective. People must, however, be miserably nervous, to render safety-triggers necessary.

STABLE, _s._ A place for horses.

Loftiness is very desirable in a stable. It should never be less than twelve feet high, and the best method of ventilation is by means of a chimney or square opening in the ceiling, communicating with the open air, or it may be made in the form of a dome or cupola, which would be more ornamental. The chimney need not be opened at the top so as to admit the rain, but should be roofed, and have lateral openings by means of weather-boards, as they are termed. As to the admission of air into the stable, the usual means provided for that purpose are quite sufficient; that is, by windows. The method adopted in barrack stables, of making an opening in the wall, near the ground at the end of the stable, is useless, to say the best of it. A stable, when properly paved, and kept moderately clean, requires only a shallow, wide gutter, twelve inches wide, and one inch deep. This, with a pail or two of water thrown upon the floor, and swept off while the horse is at exercise, will keep the stable perfectly clean and free from offensive smells. The depth of a stable should not be less than eighteen feet, nor the height, as I observed before, less than twelve. The width of a stall should not be less than six feet clear. But, when there is sufficient room, it is a much better plan to allow each horse a space of ten or twelve feet, where he may be loose and exercise himself a little. This will be an effectual means of avoiding swollen heels, and a great relief to horses that are worked hard. With respect to the rack and manger, I shall describe one which I have seen employed in a wagon-stable with the best effect. It is intended for two horses; for horses, when a little accustomed to each other, and working together, will always agree well when kept in the same stall, especially when they have, as is the case here, separate mangers, and are prevented by their halters from interfering with each other’s corn. The space for two horses is twelve feet. The mangers and rack are all on a level, and about three feet from the ground. The manger should never be less than eighteen inches deep, eighteen inches from the front to the back part, and two feet in length. The rack should be four feet for one horse. The rack may be made with staves in the front, like a common rack, but this is not necessary; indeed, it is better to have it closed in front. The back part of the rack should be an inclined plane made of wood; should be gradually sloped towards the front; and should terminate about two feet down. Such a rack will hold more hay than ever ought to be put before one horse. The advantages of this rack are numerous. In the first place the hay is easily put into it, and renders a hayloft over the stable unnecessary; and this may be an inducement to the builder to make the stable as lofty as it ought to be, and render other ventilation unnecessary. All the hay that is put into this manger will be eaten; but in the common rack it is well known that a large portion of the hay is often pulled down upon the litter and trodden upon, whereby a considerable quantity is often wasted. It prevents the hayseeds or dust from falling upon the horse, or into his eyes; and, what is of considerable importance, though seldom attended to, there will be an inducement to the groom to give the horse hay in small quantities at a time, and frequently, from the little trouble which attends putting it into the rack. The saving in hay that may be effected by the use of this rack is so apparent that it need not be dwelt upon. Some mischievous horses will throw out the hay with their noses: but this may be effectually prevented by one or two cross bars—that is, crossing the upper part of the crib from the back to the front. This kind of rack and manger, from being boarded up in front, will effectually prevent the litter from being kept constantly under the horse’s head and eyes, by which he is compelled to breathe the vapours which arise from it. The length of the halter should be only four feet from the headstall to the ring through which it passes: this will admit of his lying down with ease, and that is all which is required. The ring should be placed close to that side where the manger is, and not in the centre of the stall. The sides of the stall should be sufficiently high and deep, to prevent horses from biting and kicking each other. In post and wagon stables, where the stall is made for a pair of horses, the manger will be placed at each end, and the hay-crib in the centre. The window of the stable should be at the south-east end, and the door at the opposite end. The window should be as high as the ceiling will admit of, and in size proportioned to that of the stable. In one of twelve feet high, it need not come down more than five feet, and will then be seven feet from the ground, and out of the way of being broken. The frame of the window should be moveable upon a pivot in the centre, and opened by means of a cord running over a pulley in the ceiling, and fastened by means of another cord. With a window of this kind, in a stable of three or four horses, no other ventilation will be required: a person never need be solicitous about finding openings for the air to enter when there is sufficient room above, and means for it to escape. It is a good plan to have two doors, or to have the common door divided transversely, about four or five feet from the ground; the upper part may then be occasionally left open. Where much light is admitted, the walls of the stable should not be white, but of a stucco or lead colour, and better if painted; for then they may always be washed clean with soap and water, as well as the stalls, rack, and manger; and this should be done once in two or three weeks, or a month at furthest. If the walls are boarded up to the height of about five feet, and this, as well as the stalls, painted of a light wainscot colour, it will look extremely neat, and the under part of the wall will be kept drier, and look more comfortable. A stable should be lighted by means of an argand lamp suspended from the ceiling, and moveable. This will give a far better light, is cheaper, and more secure than any other contrivance whatever, except gas-light, and, if properly trimmed, will burn without a particle of smoke. Instead of having a large corn chest in the stable, a handsome seat may be made at the back of the stable extending as far as may be necessary: in this there may be partitions to separate the beans, or the bran, and places may be made to rest the arms upon, so that a gentleman may sit down comfortably in his stable and see his horses taken care of. A stable thus constructed will be found conducive to the health and the comfort of horses, and will afford an inducement to the groom to attend to every little circumstance which may contribute to cleanliness. He will not allow the smallest bit of dung to remain swept up at one end of the stable, as it commonly is. The pails should be kept outside, and not standing about the stable, as they commonly are. If it is necessary to take off the chill from water, it is much better and more easily done, by the addition of a little hot water, than by suffering it to stand in the stable; and while the horses are at exercise, the litter should be all turned out to dry, and the floor well washed or swept out. A little fresh straw may then be placed for the horses to stale upon. Litter thus dried during the day will serve again as well as fresh straw for the bottom of the bed, and be free from smell. A saving may be made in litter by turning it out, and drying it as I have described; and if a shed were built adjoining a stable, it may be done at all times, and may serve also to exercise and clean a horse in wet weather.

Neither dogs, fowls, nor goats, should ever be permitted to enter a stable; and dung should be kept at a distance from it. In speaking of the arrangements of the stable, it may not be amiss to notice what I consider a good contrivance in cleaning horses, that is, to have two straps, one on each side the stall, about one yard from the head of it. By these the horse may be fastened during the time he is cleaned, by which means he will be effectually prevented from biting the manger or the groom; and being kept back in the stall, the groom will be better able to clean the front of his fore legs, chest, and neck, and be able to move round him: this is better than strapping him to the rack. When the common rack and manger are preferred, the rack staves should be straight, and brought nearly down to the manger, and this may easily be done without the necessity of a hay loft, and the manger may be made deep and wide as I have described it.

* * * * *

The heat of a stable should be graduated by a thermometer, always kept there for the purpose. Our feelings are but a feeble guide to our judgment in measuring temperature. It would be well that the stable heat should seldom reach, but never exceed, 50 degrees of Fahrenheit in winter, or 65 in summer. To renew the air, the stable should be well ventilated; and such ventilation should be as near the ceiling or top of the stable as possible, as the impure air ascends. The ventilators, sometimes seen, which revolve quickly on their own centres, are not, I think, good, because they occasion a draught of air; for which reason likewise windows should be so constructed as not to open directly on either the front or the rear of the horse. One of the best methods of ventilation is by means of one or more tubes or funnels, according to the size of the stable, which should be let into the ceiling, presenting below a larger end of twelve or eighteen inches square, which, as it ascends, should narrow at its summit to about four or five inches; and this should pass out at the roof of the building, having a raised cup over its top to prevent the wet from descending. Light appears essentially necessary to a stable; the exit from a dark one must be a painful stimulus to the eyes of the horse, and his imperfect vision makes him startlish and irritable. Dark stables are supposed to encourage feeding; and it is not impossible but the horses of eastern countries eat most during the night. It also, it is thought, induces them to lie down more. The greatest encouragement to the latter is a loose box, and to the former air, exercise, and soft water. Stables should be well ceiled, and that very closely: when this is not the case, not only does the dust from the hayloft fall on the horse, but it frequently enters his eyes; and the impure air, composed of nitrogen and ammoniacal gas, which always ascends, lodges in the hay above. In fact, it would be better that both the hay and corn should be altogether removed from the sphere of action of the ammoniacal effluvia of the stable, and only brought to the animals as they are wanted. Partial draughts of air in a stable should be carefully avoided, as extremely injurious to horses: a very lofty ceiling without an upper story, is the best preventive to this. Narrow stalls are very prejudicial to horses; strains in the back are often occasioned by them; and whenever a stall is less than six feet wide, the groom should have peremptory orders never to turn the horse out of it, but always to back. Bars or bails are also objectionable, from the ease with which horses may play with and kick each other over them, and likewise because it is seldom that horses eat alike in point of quickness; and thus, when they are separated by bars only, the slowest eater gets robbed of his food.

The acclivity of the generality of stalls is also a very serious objection to them, for they occasion a horse to stand unequally, and an undue proportion of weight is thrown on the hinder extremities: the declivity also puts the flexor tendons of both the hind and fore legs on a continual stretch, and by it probably many horses are injured. The smallest possible slope only should be allowed: neither is the central grating a remedy for this inconvenience; for it not only is useless as regards mares, but it is rather injurious, because it retains the urine, which thus continues to diffuse at every moment the effluvia it should be so much our study to avoid. It is much better that each stall should be furnished with a grating placed over a small drain at the foot of the stall, which should be so constructed, as to carry off the urine or washings from each horse into one common out-door cesspool perfectly secured against the access of the external air, that an injurious effluvia may not pass up through the gratings. Professor Peal, in his excellent _Observations_, has entered largely into the injurious effects of the ammoniacal exhalations arising from the urine: to these he attributes, in a great measure, the ophthalmia by which so many valuable horses are ruined. This separation of volatile alkali is not confined to the urinary secretion alone—it extends to the fæces also, and to both the sensible, and to the insensible perspiration. The urine, from the experiments of that able chemist, Dr. Egan, begins to separate ammonia in a few hours after its evacuation from the body, and there is reason to suppose that the fæces as readily fall into this early decomposition; therefore a necessity exists for their speedy removal also.

There is much contrariety of opinion relative to the propriety of permitting horses to stand during the day on litter; and there are cogent arguments for and against it. Litter entices horses to lie down during the day, which relieves fatigue, and is favourable to the recovery of over-strained limbs: it also prevents an uneven or hurtful pressure on the feet when it is cobble-paved. On the other hand, gross feeding horses are apt to eat their litter, which is not desirable. It is, likewise, too apt to retain the urine, and thereby to generate the acrid salts we have described. Constantly standing on straw makes many horses’ legs swell, which is proved by removing it, when such legs immediately return to their proper size: the warmth and moisture retained in it, likewise, are very apt to occasion cracks and swelled legs. Litter retained is probably injurious to the feet also; for if horn has a tendency to contract by the application of heat, the horn of the feet being placed so many hours within it, must be subjected to this additional stimulus to contraction. In my own stables no litter is ever suffered to remain under the fore feet during the day: on the contrary, the horses stand on the bare bricks, which in summer are watered to make them more cool. Behind, a little straw is strewed, because horses are apt to kick and break the bricks with their hinder feet, and because, when no gratings exist, or no slope is present, the litter thus placed sucks up the moisture of the urine, which would be detrimental to the hinder feet, which are more liable to thrushes than contraction.

The box is a necessary appendage to every good stable; indeed, it may, with great propriety, form a part of the stable: and I would advise that, whenever a new one be erected, so to frame it, that every standing may, by a moveable partition, be readily made into a distinct and separate box. It would be well, were in-door horses more generally accustomed to spend their leisure time in boxes than stalls: boxes are advantageous to the jaded horse, by encouraging him to lie down during the day; they are advantageous to the idle horse, by encouraging him to exercise himself. By means of boxes, the evils of long frosts to the hunter are avoided; and the unrestrained enjoyment of freedom is relished by all. A loose box wholly unconnected with the stable is also a valuable appendage to a gentleman’s establishment: it may thus with impunity be the receptacle of a contagious case. The detached box should be so constructed as to be capable of being cooled to nearly the temperature of the external air, or, when necessary, to be made as warm as requisite for some cases of sickness. No projections should be allowed in its walls to hurt the hips, in cases of falling from weakness, staggers, &c. It should, also, have a grate in the centre communicating with an outer cesspool, with a general slight bearing of the flooring to the grating: into a large box of this description, every horse taken up from grass should be first put, to prevent the access of the worst colds to which horses are liable, which are those caught on the sudden remove from a cool into a heated temperature.—_White_—_Blaine’s Outlines of the Veterinary Art._

LONDON: PRINTED BY BRADBURY AND EVANS, WHITEFRIARS.

Transcriber’s note:

Variations in hyphenation and spelling, excepting clear outliers, have been retained.

Out of place entries have been moved into alphabetical order, respecting the original's combined sorting of i/j and u/v.

Receipt formatting has been regularized.

All instances of ‘N. B.’ have been regularized to ‘N.B.’

Age of a Horse, ‘maxiliary’ changed to ‘maxillary,’ “the sub-maxillary space is”

Age of a Horse, comma struck after ‘back,’ “the back sinks”

Alum, ‘diabates’ changed to ‘diabetes,’ “diarrhœa, diabetes, &c.”

Angling, quotes regularized.

Arm, ‘arm’ changed to ‘hand,’ “the hand to the shoulder”

Babillard, ‘Vide’ italicized, “the white-throat. (_Vide_ Montagu”

Bacon, ‘of’ inserted after ‘flesh,’ “The flesh of a hog”

Balling-Iron, comma changed to full stop after ‘horses,’ “balls to horses. It is”

Balsam, full stop inserted after ‘Peru,’ “Balsam of Peru.”

Barrel, double quote inserted before ‘I,’ ““I saw the process of”

Bearward, ‘Bearward’ changed to small caps, “BEARWARD, s. A keeper of”

Belly-bound, ‘Belly-bound’ changed to small caps, “BELLY-BOUND, a. Costive.”

Billiards, full stop changed to comma after ‘same,’ “behind the same, and the”

Bird, s., double quote inserted after ‘days,’ “Africa, in a few days.””

Birdlime, ‘mistleto’ changed to ‘misletoe,’ “The misletoe affords a”

Birds, Method of Preserving, double quote inserted after ‘solution,’ “the sublimate solution.””

Bitch, full stop changed to comma after ‘cunning,’ “very cunning, and often”

Blackbird, double quote inserted after ‘snares,’ “and all sorts of snares.””

Cartouch, ‘it’ changed to ‘is,’ “It is fired out of”

Castrate, ‘D’Arboval’ changed to ‘d’Arboval,’ “and as Hurtrel d’Arboval”

Certificate for killing Game, full stop changed to comma after ‘6d.,’ “3l. 13s. 6d., and one”

The Charmer, comma changed to full stop after ‘required,’ “was required. In his”

Cinnamon, comma changed to full stop after ‘colour,’ “should hurt your colour.”

Clipping, double quote inserted after ‘lungs,’ “ramifications of the lungs.””

Clipping, ‘god’ changed to ‘got,’ “got rid of the latter”

Cob, ‘difficulty’ changed to ‘difficult,’ “more difficult than if”

Cob, ‘disheatening’ changed to ‘disheartening,’ “be almost disheartening”

Cock, s., ‘1664’ changed to ‘1654,’ “Cromwell, March 31, 1654.”

The Cocker, full stop changed to comma after ‘extrarius,’ “Canis extrarius, Var. B.”

Colic, ‘Tinture’ changed to ‘Tincture,’ “Tincture of opium”

Condition, ‘heath’ changed to ‘health,’ “respect out of health”

Coot, full stop inserted after ‘Linn,’ “Fulica aterrima, Linn.”

Cormorant, ‘dispsition’ changed to ‘disposition,’ “their disposition, it seems”

Cough, v., ‘pereverance’ changed to ‘perseverance,’ “require a steady perseverance”

Coulterneb, double quote inserted before ‘the,’ ““the raven makes bold”

Crack, ‘plainful’ changed to ‘painful,’ “are very painful, often”

Cram, ‘sheeps’’ changed to ‘sheep’s,’ “and suet, sheep’s plucks”

Cricket, ‘D’Urfey’ changed to ‘d’Urfey,’ “songs published by d’Urfey”

Cricket, ‘bails’ changed to ‘bales,’ “and the bales must be”

Cricket, ‘middle wicket’ changed to ‘middle-wicket,’ “between the middle-wicket and”

Decoy, v., ‘skreens’ changed to ‘screens,’ “sides, screens formed of”

Detonating Powder, comma changed to full stop after ‘potash,’ “of oxymuriate of potash.”

Distemper, quotes surrounding passage from Darwin regularized.