52 RIDING 



As for shape and the old writer, in some way seeming to 

 contradict his theories, admits the obvitfus fact that a horse, 

 however well coloured and marked, is of little worth unless his 

 shape be good the ancient rules agree for the most part with 

 the opinions of to-day. When perfect shoulders are described 

 as ' long, large, and full of flesh,' the term long and large pro- 

 bably implies well sloped ; but the necessity of fulness of flesh 

 is less apparent, nor is the ' large and round breast ' now con- 

 sidered essential ; and again, the summary which states that 

 'his whole head together should be like a sheepes head,' is 

 open to argument. The type is recognisable in many old pic- 

 tures, but a horse's head is not now considered perfect the 

 more closely it resembles the head of the sheep. A poet of 

 the saddle, the late Major Whyte Melville, had a different 

 theory. His perfect horse was to have 



A head like a snake, and a skin like a mouse, 



An eye like a woman bright, gentle, and brown ; 



With loins and a back that would carry a house, 

 And quarters to lift you smack over a town. 



Neither the snake nor the sheep, however, can be accepted. 



It is held by many foreign horsemen that the English hack 

 of the present day is a much less admirable beast, and his rider 

 a much less accomplished horseman, than was the case centuries 

 ago ; for the reason that in England the horse and rider are 

 practically never required to possess accomplishments which 

 were once comparatively common in this country and are still 

 held in high esteem abroad. Blundevill gives instructions for 

 the performance of the capriole or goat's leap the pirouette 

 and other movements and exercises of the haute ecok, which, as 

 a rule, Englishmen regard as fit only for the circus, in this 

 respect provoking the contempt of those who have studied the 

 arts of the school. An Englishman's highest ambition, apart 

 from success in sport between the flags, is to ride straight to 

 hounds in the manner which, causing no unnecessary exertion to 

 himself or his horse, enables horse and man to last the longest 



