The stable floor
A notable difference between the sound outdoor horse and the unsound indoor horse is in this matter of standing, for the range animal visits but does not live in a stable, while the unsound animal spends three fourths of his time on a hard pavement. I have noticed also in travel that when I brought weary horses to a stable with a wooden floor their pasterns always swelled over night. On a metalled or paved floor the swelling was almost as bad as on wood, whereas on earthern standings there was never the slightest trace of inflammation.
In recent handling of some sixty army horses I took them from pasture to horse lines without noting much unsoundness on either ground. Unsoundness developed when I took them to paved stalls, but was much diminished when I moved them to earth-floored sheds. I find too that notable horsemasters have removed the pavements from their stables in favour of clean, dry, well-drained earth standings; or, failing that, lay bedding a foot deep.
But my experiment has gone further. My horses have not only earth standings, but sheds so built that they are walled only to windward. The gain in general health is beyond all question. Both in theory and in practice I have reason to believe that earth-floored sheds walled to windward only will cure the chronic unsoundness of stabled horses, provided that the strongest light possible is brought to bear for the killing out of disease germs. On the same principle which imports cats to look after our rats and mice, one might introduce some benevolent microbe whose duty it would be to eat disease germs in a stable floor.
III. THE INDOOR HORSE.
Work
HIS WORK. So far analysis has shown two types of equipment: the weight-distributing saddle for war work, ridden straight-leg by soldiers, stockmen and others earning a living; and the light slippery saddle for running and jumping adapted to the bent-leg riding of pleasure horses for sport.
The saddle is but one of several factors in horsemanship, so we must isolate these factors one by one before we can reach conclusions from our study.
For the purpose of isolating the several factors in horsemanship, The Legion of Frontiersmen managed to organize a series of tests on English highways. In each test two groups of three or four horsemen apiece, working in rivalry, rode fifty to fifty-five miles on a Saturday, then back again on the Sunday. Afterwards a veterinary surgeon reported on the condition of the horses.
Indoor horses at work