The ordinary mode of draining the stall is to make it slope from the head to a gutter, about ten feet from the manger. The inclination varies from two to three inches on the ten feet This has been objected to, but as it appears to me, without any good reason. It is said that the flexor muscles and back sinews are put upon the stretch, to such a degree that they are injured. It is not easy to believe this. As far as I have been able to ascertain, no one has ever seen a horse lamed in this way. The matter might be decided by experiment. By making a horse stand for a week or two upon a declivity somewhat greater than that required for draining the stall, it would be seen whether or not it is possible to make him lame in this way. My own stable has a fall of four inches on the ten feet, but it has never produced any injury to the back sinews. That these parts are put upon the stretch when the horse is standing on a declivity, need not be denied; but the tension is never in an injurious degree. In proof of the contrary, it is urged that we feel pain in the back of our limbs when standing with the toes elevated; and that the horse, feeling the same uneasiness, endeavors to relieve himself by standing as far in the gangway as his collar will permit.

It need only be mentioned that pain is not produced in our limbs by standing in any stall, however much it slopes. The horse stands back merely to look around him, or to avoid the foul vapor rising from the litter which lies under his manger. He does the same when there is no declivity in his stall.

White objects to a sloping stall, and concludes by recom mending that the inclination be no greater than one inch or the yard. Not one stable in ten has more, and few have quite so much.

The contrivances to avoid inclination are useless; there is no need for them. It may be safely concluded that the ordinary declivity is not in the least pernicious. Some old and tender-footed horses, indeed, would be all the better of having the stall more than usually elevated in front. It would save the fore feet in a slight degree, and enable the horse to rise with more ease. Dealers' stables are often raised in front to a greater elevation than draining requires. The horses look taller and higher in the withers when viewed in these stalls.