120 VARIETIES OF THE HORSE 



of its massiveness ; but it must uot be imagined that because the neck 

 of a Hackney is big and powerful it should necessarily be coarse. A 

 thick clumsy neck is as bad as a short one in the case of any saddle- 

 horse, and worse than a thin narrow one. The neck of the Hackney 

 possesses a peculiarly graceful bend, and gradually increases in its 

 dimensions until it reaches the shoulders. But it should be quite free 

 from coarseness. 



The shoulders themselves are one of the most important points, for 

 if they and their associated muscles are short there is no flexibility to 

 be found about them. They should also slope well backwards to ensure 

 the much-sought-for smoothness of action that everybody admires; whilst 

 the existence of a mere suspicion even of superfluous lumpiness about 

 the points is a very serious fault. 



The chest of the Hackney should be broad, not so broad as to influence 

 his speed or action, but yet wide enough to aflbrd room for the free 

 play of both heart and lungs. For similar reasons it should be deep, 

 but this depth is not so striking in the Hackney as in the case of some 

 other varieties, owing to the foct that this horse is, or should be, exception- 

 ally deep about the back ribs, and consequently is more level in his lower 

 line than most breeds. 



The fore-legs should be short; very big in the arms; heavy and flat 

 in bone; with nicely sloping powerful pasterns, not long enough to be 

 weak, yet sufficiently springy and sloping to minimize concussion; and 

 the feet should be on the large side, deep and set on dead straight, an 

 in-toed Hackney being simply an abomination. The knees should l,>e 

 rather big, but so should the entire limb; and it is a most serious fault 

 if the horse stands back upon them — a calf-kneed horse, in fact, should 

 never take a prize of any kind, or be utilized as a sire. 



The back should not be long; but a sufficiency of room both in 

 front of and behind the saddle must be sought for, whilst the back itself 

 must be level and present an exceptionally powerful appearance. Of 

 course in the case of aged horses a dip is no disqualification, as late 

 in life its appearance is only to be expected. A flat-sided Hackney is not 

 appreciated, for the ribs should be well sprung, and, as stated before, 

 the back ones should be unusually long. The quarters, another most 

 important feature, should be long. To this formation an appearance 

 of length of back is often due. They must, moreover, be as level as 

 possible and powerful-looking. 



The tail, which is usually docked short, is set on high, and carried 

 gaily when its possessor is excited, or set going at his best. 



The hind-legs are very muscular about the thighs and second thighs, 



