BRITISH TURF. 99 



minates with advantage the extremity of his body ; 

 his tail, — very different from the short tails of the 

 deer, elephant, and hippopotamus, and from the 

 naked tails of the ass, camel, and rhinoceros, — is 

 formed of long thick hairs, which seem to rise 

 from his crupper, because the trunk from which 

 they proceed is very short. He cannot, like the 

 lion, elevate his tail ; but though pendulous, it 

 becomes him better, and as he can move it from 

 side to side, it serves him to drive off the flies 

 w^hich incommode him; for though his skin is 

 very firm and well garnished with close hair, it is 

 nevertheless, very sensible." 



The attachment of the horse's head above the rest 

 of his frame especially contributes to give him a grace- 

 ful aspect ; its most advantageous position is when 

 the front is perpendicular to the horizon. The supe- 

 rior ridge of his neck, from which the mane issues, 

 should first rise in a straight line from the withers, 

 and then, as it approaches the head, form 

 a curve nearly similar to that of a swan's neck. 

 The inferior part of the neck should have no 

 curvature, but rise in a straight line from the 

 breast to the under jaw, with a small inclination 

 forward. If it rose in a perpendicular direction, 

 its symmetry and gracefulness would be greatly 

 diminished. The superior part of the neck should 

 be thin, with little flesh near the mane, which ought 

 to be decorated with long, flowing, and delicate 

 hair. The neck, to be fine, must be long, elevated 



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