94 THE HORSE. 
nothing but the great success of a horse’s stock would induce breeders to 
resort to him if they were largely endowed with white. Grey hairs 
mixed in the coat, as in the Venison’s, are rather approved of than other- 
wise ; but they do not amount to a roan, in which the grey hairs are equal, 
or even more than that, to those of the other colour mixed with them. 
COAT, MANE, AND TAIL 
Tur TEXTURE of the coat and skin is a great proof of high breeding, 
and in the absence of the pedigree would be highly regarded ; but when 
that is satisfactory it is of no use descending to the examination of an 
inferior proof; and, therefore, except asa sign of health, the skin is seldom 
considered. In all thoroughbred horses, however, it is thinner, and the 
hair more silky than in common breeds ; and the veins are more apparent 
under the skin, partly from its thinness, but also from their extra size and 
number of branches. This network of veins is of importance in allowing 
the circulation to be carried on during high exertions, when, if the blood 
could not accumulate in them, it would often choke the deep vessels of the 
heart and lungs ; but by collecting on the surface great relief is afforded, 
and the horse is able to maintain such a high and long-continued speed 
as would be impracticable without their help. Hence, these points are not 
useful as a mere mark of breed, but as essential to the very purpose for 
which that breed was established. 
THE MANE AND TAIL should be silky and not curly, though a slight 
wave is often seen. A decided curl is almost universally a mark of 
degradation, and shows a stain in the pedigree as clearly as any sign can 
do. Here, however, as in other cases, the clear tracing of that all-powerful 
proof of breeding will upset all reasoning founded upon inferior data. The 
setting on of the tail is often regarded as of great importance, but it is 
chiefly with reference to appearances ; for the horse is not dependent for 
action or power upon this appendage. Nor is strength of dock of any 
certain value as a sign, for I have known some very stout horses with 
flaccid and loosely pendent tails but still it may be accepted as a general 
rule, that when the muscles of the tail are weak, those of the rest of the 
body are likely to be so also. 
THE THOROUGHBRED HUNTER AND STEEPLECHASER. 
Hiruerto we have considered the thoroughbred horse as intended to be 
tested “over the flat,” that is to say on our ordinary race-courses, but, as I 
have before mentioned, the hunting-field is also largely supplied from the 
same source, and in addition the steeplechase is now almost entirely carried 
on by means of thoroughbred animals. It is found that many horses which 
are too slow when tried as two or three-year-olds over our ordinary courses, 
and therefore discarded from the racing stable, are able to beat all others 
over a country, either with hounds or in the steeplechase. Whether this 
improvement in form is owing to the greater distance, or to increased age, 
or to the addition of fences, such is undoubtedly the fact, as might be 
proved by innumerable well-known instances. Sometimes perhaps one, 
sometimes another, of these may effect the change, and perhaps, occa- 
sionally, all three may combine to produce it, but undoubtedly the first 
hope of the owner of a slow racehorse is that he may yet become a good, 
and therefore fast, hunter or steeplechaser. In the palmy days of steeple- 
chasing, when 1,000/. was a common price for a first-class horse suited to 
