CONFORMATION. 451 



so, for fear of tlie bit and the whip, whilst in the yard and perhaps during 

 a short ride, such as the intending purchaser may wish to take. Very 

 heavy shoes have been used with same object, and with more permanent 

 effect. But the plan fails, because the heavy shoes must be removed 

 before the horse can be shown to a customer. 



More lately and more ingeniously, the same object has been gained by 

 shot-bags, weighing from 4 Ib. to 6 lb., round the front fetlock. These 

 can be removed in two or three minutes. But the action is not natural, 

 and the purchaser will generally find that after a few days the animal 

 reverts to the action appropriate to his conformation. Defective action 

 may however undoubtedly be improved by good riding and suppling of 

 the shoulders. But it is not the intention of the Author in this treatise 

 to enter into the question of horse-breaking. 



In galloping, the hind legs must be brought well under the body, and 

 the animal must go low and near the (/round. 



931. Defects in Action. 



The Author is afraid that he would render this chapter too long if he 

 were to enter into a detail of the innumerable defects which occur in 

 action. Any and every deviation from light, springy, easy, quick, 

 straight action is in some degree a defect. 



The more prominent defects however are rolling, dishing, cutting, and 

 stumbling. Want of harmony between the fore and hind legs is also 

 very objectionable. If a horse, for instance, has powerful hind quarters 

 and straight shoulders, the extra propelling power is an evil ; or con- 

 versely the best shoulders are of no avail without good hind quarters. 

 Pitching action, i. e. the fore-foot being darted straight out, is very un- 

 pleasant to the rider. Winding of the fore-foot is also very objection- 

 able. Any action of the hind legs, which is performed by or accompanied 

 with swaying of the loins, is unpleasant in a riding horse and unsightly. 



931 a. Stumbling. 



Stumbling is more often due to the way in which a horse puts his foot 

 down on the ground than to want of height in raising the foot in action. 



It is rare that a horse strikes an obstacle in transitu. He generally 

 strikes the obstacle as he puts his foot down on the ground. Hence high 

 action is not itself a bar to stumbling though it is probable that a horse 

 with light easy action will put his foot more nimbly down on the ground 

 than a sluggish goer. 



Stumbling ho.vever in the Author's opinion far more often arises from 

 want of nervous appreciation of the obstacle, or, in other words, want of 

 delicate sensibility of touch, than from defect either in the manner of 

 raising or putting down the foot. Such want of nervous appreciation of 

 obstacles of course constitutes the worst class of bad action. 



Some horses appear to have an intuitive appreciation of all obstacles, 

 inequalities of ground, hollows, elevations, &c., whilst others with appa- 

 rently good action blunder against everything. 



