ENGLISH BREEDS 151 



weakness, and they should be well placed, not being carried outward below 

 the line of the body or inwards according to the conformation known as 

 " cow hocks ". The tail should be set on high, as must be the case when the 

 quarters are level, for though plenty of " goose-rumped " horses are good 

 workmen, a drooping quarter never adds to the appearance of any animal. 



The question of manners in a Harness horse is a matter of great inqjort- 

 ance, as an animal with a naturally bad mouth, or one which has been ruined 

 by injudicious breaking or heavy hands, to say nothing of a vicious or timid 

 dispositioned one, is always an unsatisfactory and very often a dangerous 

 horse to drive. Very frequently, of course, the manners of a horse become 

 affected by bad bitting, and consec[uently in trying a recent purchase of 

 which nothing is known it would be unwise to discard him, if not at first 

 .satisfactory, until the peculiarities of his mouth have been carefully studied. 

 Indeed it may safely be asserted that as many equine tempers have been 

 ruined, and manners spoiled, by injudicious bitting as by any other 

 means, and therefore in forming an estimation of a strange horse's manners, 

 it is always necessary to pay attention to his mouth. Again, the question 

 of manners is so often associated with temper that no one is ever justified 

 in ignoring the character an animal may possess. Some animals entertain 

 peculiar aversions to certain objects which they may possibly encounter 

 when being tried, and although they may be steady enough under any 

 other circumstances, may earn for themselves a bad reputation amongst 

 strangers. A bolter, however, and particularly one whose eyesight is at all 

 affected, is never to be trusted, for if a horse once decidedly gains the 

 upper hand over his driver, he rarely forgets his power, and is therefore 

 lial)le to repeat the outl)reak at any moment. 



Action and style are two points about a Harness horse which are ab- 

 solutely essential to success in the show ring, or inclusion in the category 

 of valuable animals. Unfortunately, however, they are both diflicult to 

 secure, nor are they always associated with each other. Yet they must be 

 there if a horse is to be accepted as a good one, for no matter how perfect 

 his formation may be, or how well he moves, he will go down before a good 

 judge if he does not cany his two ends up; whilst if he aecomjjlishes this 

 and is deficient in action his other merits will all be overlooked. To com- 

 mence with, a good Harness horse should hold his head uj) proudly as it 

 were, and not be dependent upon a bridoon bit for keeping it in position ; 

 but, on the other hand, a "star-gazer" which throws his head-piece back 

 as if he were taking an observation of the sky is never an animal to be 

 admired, and not infrequently is an awkward horse to drive. When it is 

 noticed, therefore, that a Harness horse is driven in a martingale, it is as well 

 to try and ascertain how he carries his head without one; whilst, on the 



