ROACH BACK-'ROARING 



Roach Back. — A back which is higher in the middle 

 than it is at the withers and loins. 



Road Coach. — See Coach. 



Roadster. — A horse adapted for fast work on the road. 

 Of late years it is chiefly applied to light harness horses. 

 (See Harness Horse?) 



Road Team. — A team of horses which is used for working 

 a road coach is not expected to possess the quality of a 

 park team. The former are required for business purposes, 

 not for show, and hence blemishes which would be unpardon- 

 able in a park team are excusable in the case of horses 

 which are meant for work, but they must be able to do all 

 that is required of them. The wheelers in particular must 

 possess weight, power, substance, and the necessary speed ; 

 the leaders usually displaying a good deal more quality. 

 Sixteen hands is the correct height, and of course there should 

 be plenty of bone and the feet must be sound, else the horses 

 could never get through their work. (See Park Team) 



Road Waggon. — A light, four - wheeled, box - shaped 

 vehicle, constructed to carry two persons. The wheels have 

 wire spokes, and are of the same size, consequently the road 

 waggon cannot full lock. (See Carriages?) 



Roan. — A roan horse is one whose coat is more or less 

 flecked with white hairs. In some cases these extend all 

 over his body, in others they are not so widely distributed, 

 and may only appear on the flanks : still, they, strictly 

 speaking, constitute the horse a roan. Blue and a pinkish 

 chestnut ground colours are the most frequently met with, 

 the horses of the latter shade of jacket being termed red or 

 strawberry roans, but chestnut, bay, and brown roans are 

 also known. (See Coloi^rs.) 



Roaring is the result of some affection of the larynx 



277 



