THE SHOULDER AND CHEST. 25 



versant with the Arab, that nothing denotes the 

 superior caste more than that extreme obliquity 

 of shoulder, and certainly nothing denotes the 

 make more. When the shoulder is very oblique, 

 how short the neck appears below from the back 

 part of the channel to the chest ; and how long 

 above from between the ears to the withers ! 

 What superb conformation ! An unexpected trip 

 easily throws a horse with a straight shoulder 

 down, and he generally hangs very heavy in hand 

 as he tires. The straight-shouldered horse, if 

 shining in other points, may pass handsomely for 

 draught in a carriage or buggy, but will never 

 answer well for the saddle. From the top of 

 the blade to the point it should be long, very 

 long, for that will compensate for a little defi- 

 ciency in the obliqueness ; and the space from 

 the point to the fore-arm, or leg, particularly 

 short, in order that the legs may stand well 

 forward ; and the chest should be moderately 

 broad, in order that these forward legs may not 

 be too close together, but while it is broad it 

 must also be flat; not concave and hollow, but 

 flat, and not overloaded in front. A round full 

 chested horse will do very well as a carriage- 

 wheeler, but not for the turf. The great, broad, 

 rounded and projecting hang-over chests, with the 

 fore-legs often inclining under the belly, are con- 



