HAMBLETOXIAtf AND HIS FAMILY. 269 



tached; yet so beautifully is its .connection effected with the whole that there 

 is no disproportion apparent, either in the symmetry or the action of the horse. 

 As an evidence of the immense reach which this admirable rear construction 

 enables him to obtain, it is often noticed by visitors that in his favorite attitude, 

 as he stands in his box, his off hind foot is thrown forward so far under him as 

 to nearly touch the one in front of it an attitude which few horses of his pro- 

 portionate length could take without an apparent strain, yet which he assumes 

 at perfect repose. When led out upon the ground his walk strikes one as 

 being different from that of any other horse. It cannot be described further 

 than to say that it shows a true and admirable adjustment of parts, and a per- 

 fect pliability and elasticity of mechanism that shows out through every 

 movement. Many have noticed and endeavored to account in different ways 

 for the peculiarity, some crediting it to the pliable pastern, others to surplus 

 of knee and hock action, et -. but the fact is, there seems to be a suppleness of 

 the whole conformation that delights to express itself in every movement and 

 action of the horse. "In his box," said a Kentucky horseman, who recently 

 looked him over, " I thought him too massive to be active, but the moment he 

 stepped out I saw that he was all action." 



There is so much in the foregoing description that is intelli- 

 gent and just that I hardly feel like reviewing a single phrase. 

 In judging of the conformation of a horse and determining 

 whether it is good or bad, at different points, we must have in 

 our mind some ideal standard, by which we mentally compare 

 one thing with another. The popular conception of the perfect 

 horse is the picture of the "Arabian," painted by artists who 

 never saw an Arabian horse. The next approach to perfection is 

 the English race horse, but others may insist that the Clydesdale 

 comes nearer perfection and that he should be the ideal with 

 which the standard of comparison should be made. It is unfor- 

 tunate that Mr. Kellogg should have described Hambletonian as 

 possessing "immense substance, without a particle of coarseness, 

 or grossness." He had a remarkably coarse head in its size and 

 outline, but this is greatly softened by saying "with a profile 

 inclining to the Roman order." The ideal muzzle of the Eng- 

 lish race horse is so fine that, figuratively speaking, he can drink 

 out of a tin cup, but Hambletonian could not get his muzzle into 

 a vessel of much smaller dimensions than a half -bushel measure. 

 "Ear large, well set and lively.'*' This is true as to the size of 

 the ears, but not correct, in my judgment, as to the setting on. 

 As they habitually lopped backward when in repose, giving a 

 sour and ill-tempered expression, I co^ld not concede that they 

 were "well set." The hocks were good and clean, but the 

 abrupt angle at that point was certainly a coarse feature. The 



