20 PURCHASING FROM THE STABLES. 



A small head on a large horse, or large head 

 on a small horse, are of course equally out of 

 proportion ; a trifle either way is perhaps imma- 

 terial, if only lean, with the large eye, broad fore- 

 head, and hollow jowl ; yet, a head possessing these 

 and all the foregoing good points, may still, from 

 some peculiarity of conformation, not altogether 

 please the eye, or be a very handsome head ; but 

 one void of these requisites can never be termed 

 a blood head. A " cut short" head, with a slight 

 indentation about half a foot above the nose, is a 

 great favourite with some judges. I like it too. 



THE NECK. 



The neck of an Arab I never knew too light 

 or too long, though it is often quite long enough. 

 Take care especially that it is light, and that the 

 upper surface is not too thick : it should be very 

 muscular towards the bottom, but enter the chest 

 above the points of the shoulders ; if it does not, 

 you will have neither speed nor lightness of action: 

 it must also curve a little where the head is set 

 on, or he will pull against your arm, and feel heavy 

 in hand, consequently this will never answer for 

 a charger or hunter, and it is nearly as bad for a 

 racer. There must be no superfluous thickness 



