2:16 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



that quarter, nor can a horse be pleasing to the eye that 

 has not good hind-quarters. 



They should be round and full of muscles, the hips 

 well developed ; a low rump is a characteristic of an 

 Irish horse, and is termed amongst dealers a " goose 

 rump ;" many blood horses have this formation. 

 Avoid the purchase of one so formed, as they seldom 

 have good action; horses long in the quarters are 

 seldom serviceable. If a horse is required for field 

 sport always buy one short in the quarters, which is 

 indicative of all good leapers. The thighs should 

 be muscular and extending to the back, from which to 

 the hoof should be clean, flat, and sinewy. The back 

 part of the thigh should have a considerable bend, as 

 a straight-legged animal seldom possesses good action, 

 although there are exceptions to this rule. Avoid 

 those that are "cat-hammed," viz., with their hocks 

 nearly touching each other, see that the fore-legs are 

 muscular down to the knee, and otherwise well 

 formed as I have described in the hind-legs. The 

 fore-feet should be nearly circular, gradually increasing 

 as they descend toward the sole ; their inclination out- 

 ward should not be so great as that of the pastern. 

 The chances are that feet that slope too much forward 

 are diseased or liable to it ; besides this obliquity throws 

 the animal too much on its heels, which produces 

 tenderness of the parts and straining of the back 

 sinews. The position of the legs and feet, or what 

 may be termed their setting-on, is a most important 

 point. Viewing the borse from the front, the horse's 

 legs should be as near straight as possible, its feet 



