THE SADDLE BREEDS OF HORSES 127 



ribbed well back and quite as large around the last rib as 

 at the girth. The horse is strong across the kidneys and 

 the coupling is powerful. The quarters are level, strongly 

 muscled and long from the point of the hip to the hock. 

 The tail comes out well up, is carried high, and is heavy, 

 long and flowing. The body is set on comparatively 

 short legs. The bone of the leg is broad, flat and closely 

 knit, and the tendons strong. The fore-arm is powerfully 

 muscled and the fore-legs straight. The hind-leg is not 

 so straight as in the Thoroughbred, and is well muscled. 

 The legs are short from knee and hock to ankle. The 

 pasterns are a little long and sloping. The feet are hard 

 but elastic, heels well spread and well developed. The 

 average height of the Saddle horse is about fifteen hands 

 two inches, and the weight approximately 1000 pounds. 



140. The saddle horse in motion. The methods of 

 educating the saddle horse would carry us too far afield, 

 but we may consider the motion of the educated horse. 

 Beautiful as this horse is, he must be seen in motion to be 

 appreciated. 



141. The flat-footed walk should be prompt, brisk, 

 elastic, " dead in line " and fast. Speed is important and 

 should be equal to at least three and a half miles an hour. 

 Horses will occasionally be found that will walk at the rate 

 of four and a half miles an hour, but the lower estimate 

 is good walking. It may generally be assumed that a 

 horse is walking properly if all four shoes may be seen from 

 behind him, and the feet on the same side are in line. 



142. The trot should be true, " dead in line," well under 

 the horse, balanced, prompt and with both shoulder and 

 stifle put well into the motion. Unless the shoulder is 

 put well into the motion, the mere play of knees yields a 

 racking, uncomfortable ride. Unless the stifle is brought 



