Massachusetts instituted stable laws in the late 1880's. To this day, they still consider their laws as refering to places where horses are for hire. One of their laws gives local boards of health authority to place regulations over stables in cities and large towns. I have three old, retired horses on my farm for my own personal use. The local board of health voted regulations for stables in 1986. They contend I have a stable.I can not find a definition for stable in the Massachusetts General Law. The dictionaries I have consulted define stable as a place where horses are kept. I am trying to find an older dictionary to see if I can prove the definition that stables are places horses are kept for hire. Can you help me?