22 PURCHASING FROM THE STABLES. 



THE WITHERS AND BACK. 



High withers you will not always find, but they 

 should undoubtedly rise a full inch higher than 

 the top of the shoulder-blade, or if you like the 

 expression better, as high withers are not at all 

 necessary for the turf, the top of the shoulder 

 blade must be a full inch below the top of the 

 withers ;* and if the withers are wide at top he 

 will generally carry weight better than if rather 

 fine. After the fall of the withers the spine must 

 run straight, without any ups or downs, or arches, 

 to the croup at the end of the loins, that is, to 

 the centre between the haunch bones ; and from 

 there, as mentioned before, it must be carried out 

 straight to the tail. If the spine has any of these 

 arches the back will be galled by the saddle, and 

 if there is a depression at the back of the saddle, 

 where the back and loins join, it shows weakness. 

 A depression also where the loins and croup join, 

 " the hind quarters looking separated from the 

 back, " is twenty times worse. After the fall of 

 the withers the spine is often straight, yet gra- 

 dually ascending ; this is an advantage, provided 



* I once saw an Arab— a deformity — with tlie top of the 

 shoulder-blades higher than the withers, yet he was hog- 

 luinted. 



