CONFOhMATION. 455 



English liorse has a hjiiger stride and can outpace tlie Arab for the first 

 ^ mile. The Arab will struggle to keep up to the pace of his competitor, 

 and in this hopeless struggle will exhaust himself ; and then the English 

 horse canters in an easy winner. 



As regards English thorough-bred horses, there is some reason to fear 

 lest the present system of veiy short rac«s should lead to the breeding 

 of horses more with a view to speed than endurance. It is, however, a 

 mistake to suppose that very worthless animals will ever be used on the 

 turf. No horse can be trained at all, not even for the very shortest race, 

 unless he has considerable strength of bone, tendon and ligament. The 

 misfortune rather is that in the endeavour to produce a speedy animal, 

 so many horses worthless for any purpose are brought into existence. 



Whilst the Author yields to no one in his appreciation of the value of 

 blood, yet he must remind the reader that high-bred horses do not 

 answer so well for some purposes as those of a lower caste. For many 

 sorts of work involving slow, patient drudgeiy, the sluggish nature and 

 broader and heavier build of the under-bred horse is far more sviitable 

 than the eager exertions and slighter frame of the thorough-bred. In the 

 mean between these two lies the horse most useful for ordinary purposes. 



936. Distinctive MarJcs and Colour. 



In taking the description of a horse, after detailing of course the colour, 

 age, and sex, it is usual to specify any Marks, whether natural or acquired, 

 which the horse may have about him. 



A Star is a round or roundish white spot on the forehead. A Race is a 

 narrow white streak down the face. It may be a continuation of a star 

 or it may be separate and distinct from it. It may be straight or crooked. 

 A Snip is a white mark on a nostril or side of a nostril, running down to 

 the mouth. It is sometimes continued to the lower lip. The part is 

 often almost devoid of hair, and in such case has a flesh-coloured appear- 

 ance. All these marks may be separate or they may be combined. A 

 Blaze consists in the whole or half of the face being marked by a broad 

 white streak extending to the mouth. "White legs or heels, spots of any 

 colour, grey hairs in the mane or tail or about the body, are also always 

 recorded in the description. 



Blemishes, if any, such as saddle marks, scars, broken knees, per- 

 manent enlargements about any part, Sac, should also be detailed. 



The Color of a horse in doubtful cases is decided by the color of the 

 muzzle. Thus, if it be a question whether a horse is black or brown, the 

 muzzle would determine the point. An almost black horse, for instance, 

 with a brown muzzle is counted as brown ; whilst a horse of similar color 

 of body with a black muzzle would be reckoned as black. 



937. Vice and SuUcincss. 



Awkward-shaped horses are often vicious or sulky, probably because 

 from awkward shape they cannot readily comply with the indications of 

 the hand and leg, and the wishes of the rider ; and hence they are often 

 harshly treated, and in consequence become vicious or sulkv. 



