INTRODUCTION 21 



energy about a well-shaped horse which we cannot 

 account for — arising, perhaps, from some physical 

 cause not apparent to the eye. I have frequently 

 been asked my opinion of a horse when standing in 

 the stable. My answer has invariably been, " Let 

 me get upon his back, and I will teU you." A judge, 

 however, may form some idea of what a horse is before 

 he mounts him, from the position of those two most 

 essential points — the shoulders and the hinder legs ; 

 for if they are not in their proper places, it is in vain 

 to look for true action. You may as well expect an 

 ass to play the fiddle, as a horse to carry his rider 

 pleasantly, unless he have good lengthy shoulders 

 and well-bent hinder legs. A friend of mine, who is 

 become fastidious in his judgment, goes so far as to 

 say that no horse can have a good mouth with straight 

 hinder legs. He is so far correct, inasmuch as no horse 

 with straight hinder legs can pull together ; therefore 

 neither his head nor his heels can be where they ought 

 to be, and consequently he can never be fit to carry 

 a gentleman. 



