Few, besides the large proprie tor and the country gentleman, can have a stable-yard for his own use. In towns, the only place in the shape of a yard is the lane. In this the horses must be groomed and the carriage washed. When the stables are ranged in a square or circle, the coaches ought to be washed near the centre, or at some distance from the stables. The practice of doing all the wet work close to the stable-door, keeps the air always cold and damp, and the entrance dirty. In some large establishments there is a covered shed, in front of, or around the stables, or at one side of the yard. There the horses are groomed, and exercised in dirty weather, or walked till cool, dry, and ready for grooming. For this latter purpose it is of great importance. Every coachmaster knows how necessary it is to keep the horses moving until they be nearly dry and cool. Without a covered shed this can not be managed in bad weather. Such a place answers many purposes. It allows all the horses to be groomed out of the stable, thus saving litter, and avoiding annoyance to the other horses. The groom, too, can see better what he is about, and can handle the horse better here than in the stable.

When litter is dear, that which has merely been wet with urine can be dried, and made as good as ever, under the shed; and at night, when not otherwise wanted, it can be converted into a coach-house.

Such a shed need not be costly. In fact it is nothing but a roof supported on one side by a few pillars, and projecting from a dead wall, or the front of the stables. The width and length must vary. Fourteen feet will make it sufficiently wide, and in length it may be forty or sixty, or as long as possible. The roof may be of unplastered tile. The floor may be causewayed or pitched with pebbles. At one end, about twelve feet may have a soft bottom for those horses that beat the ground very much when under the groom's operations. The soft floor saves the feet, prevents the horse from striking off his shoes. It may be all alike, but if wet be admitted such a floor is never in order.