0SO PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



if in double harness, will play with his mate. Gcod coiiraged horses are always the best 

 tempered, and, under difficulties, are by far the most quiet, and least disposed to do 

 mischief. 



5945. The criteria of a race-horse, derived from fonn, are, that he have the greatest possible quan- 

 tity of bone, muscle, and sinew, in the most condensed forn. There should be a general length of parts 

 to afford stretch, scope, and elasticity, w^ith great muscles 1 ardened by condition, to act on the length of 

 these parts advantageously. In particular his hind-limbs should be furnished with ample thighs, and 

 broad hocks, which should below set. His fore arm ought also to be broad, and the knee, like the hock, 

 should be near the ground. 



5946. The criteria of a hunter are, that he have somewhat similar proportions with the racer, but with 

 more bulk to enable him to continue his exertions longer, ai;d to carry more weight. In him, a good car- 

 Case is essentially necessary to fit him to go through a long chase ; and the more, if he be required to hunt 

 more than one or two days in the week. Some light canased horses will do one day's hunting work a 

 week very well ; but knock up at more. The hunter should be well formed in his loins, and well let 

 down in his thighs to propel him forward in his gallop, and give him strength to rise sufficiently to cover 

 his leaps. It is also of great use to a hunter to be a good trotter ; many such horses, when 

 fatigued, break out of the gallop and relieve themselves by trotting, particularly over heavy ground. 



5947. The criteria of a hackney. If it be necessary that the hackney be well formed 

 behind to give him strength, and to propel him forward, it is even of more consequence 

 that he be well formed before ; and in this kind of horse the hind parts are in some mea- 

 sure subordinate to the fore, as safety is preferable to speed. The head in the 

 hackney should be small, and well placed on a neck of due length and substance to 

 make a proper appui for the bridle ; and that proper resistance to the hand, so 

 pleasant to the feel, and so necessary for ease and safety. The shoulders should be ob- 

 lique and well furnished with muscle, but not heavy ; and the withers in particular 

 should be high. The elbows should be turned rather out than in, and the legs 

 should stand out straight, and by no means fall under the horse, or it betokens a 

 stumbler. The pasterns should neither be too oblique, which bespeaks weak- 

 ness ; nor too straight, which wears the horse out, and is unpleasant to the rider. The 

 carcase should be round, or the horse will be washy and weak ; the loins straight, 

 wide, and ribbed home ; the thighs of good substance ; and although the being cat- 

 hammed, or having the hocks turned inwards, is cefective in beauty, it often bespeaks a 

 trotter. 



5948. The criteria of a cavalry horse are, that he have considerable extension of bulk or size, to enable 

 him to carry weight, with good carcase to allow him to feed coarsely, and yet thrive at piquet or on service. 

 He should have also hberty of action ; but great speed is not requisite. The best cavalry horses are 

 those formed of the united properties of hackneys, and very light draught horses. 



5949. The criteria of road horses for quick draughty or coach, chariot, stage and post 

 chaises, &c., are derived from the immediate pi;rposes for which they are intended; 

 as requiring either strength or speed in greater proportions. To make them safe, the fore- 

 hand should rise, the back should be straight, the step should be short but quick, which 

 fatigues least. As they approach the hunter in form, they are best fitted for quick 

 work ; and as they resemble the best kind of light agricultural horses, they are calcu- 

 lated for heavy draught, as coaches, &c. But in all, a portion of blood gives courage, 

 durability, and condenses strength into lessened bulk ; by which activity is gained. It 

 is of great consequence to a coach-horse that the neck and head be so formed as to be 

 enabled to rein-in well to the bridle, 



5950. The criteria of a dray-horse are, that he be very broad-breasted and muscular, and 

 thick in the shoulders, which should not lie backward. Nor should the fore-hand be up, 

 as recommended in the road-horse ; for, by holding up their heads, such horses may be 

 choked by the collar, as they would, if so formed, draw too much by the throat, and their 

 wind being thus stopped, would be in danger of falling down. The neck of a dray-horse 

 is not the better for being long, and the head should be proportionate to it. Like all 

 horses, he should be chosen with short legs, and good strong hoofs. He ought to be thick 

 in his thighs, and large in bone ; but above all, he ought to be a steady collared horse, 

 with courage to make him true to a severe pull ; and yet, without a hot fiery spirit to 

 make him fretful. 



5951. The criteria of a waggon-horse arc, in some respects, different from those of the 

 dray-horse. He should be more weighty, and altogether larger. Rapidity of motion is 

 greatly subordinate, in the heavy stage-waggons usually seen on our roads, to strength. 

 It is all collarwork; nothing is gained from the momentum of the dragged mass, 

 which, the instant the pull ceases, stands still. The waggon horse should be patient in 

 the extreme ; willing to lie to his collar up hill, and yet settle into his own share of work 

 on level ground. As his exertions are constant, it is of the greatest consequence that he 

 be a good feeder. 



5952. The criteria of a horse peculiarly adapted to the labors of agriculture, are thus 

 given by Culley. His head should be as small as the proportion of the animal will ad- 

 mit; his nostrils expanded, and muzzle fine; his eyes cheerful and prominent; his ears 

 small, upright, and placed near together ; his neck, rising out from between his shoulders 

 with an easy tapering curve, must join gracefully to the head ; his shoulders, being well 



