6 ANGLO-FRENCH HORSEMANSHIP 



and then ride the horse down a hill at a walk, or at a 

 gallop if you wish to make still more certain. 



In a well-made horse, the angle formed by the 

 shoulder and the arm, that is to say, by a line drawn 

 from the highest point of the withers to the point of 

 the shoulder, and another thence to just below the 

 elbow, should be from 120 to 105 degrees, divided into 

 from 55 to 60 degrees for the shoulder and a horizontal 

 line from the point, and 50 to 60 degrees for the arm 

 and the same line, so that a perpendicular line dropped 

 from the point of the shoulder just touches the toe. 

 It is important that the angle formed by the arm should 

 be large ; the best show horses have an arm forming 

 an angle of 60 degrees ; the angle formed by the 

 shoulder being about the same, making a total angle at 

 the point of 115 to 120 degrees. The arm from the 

 shoulder point to the centre of the forearm in hunters 

 is generally a good half of the distance from the point to 

 the top of the withers. 



High withers running well into the back and a slop- 

 ing shoulder * generally ensure comfort in riding ; and 

 if the back is strong and bends downwards readily, Avhen 

 pinched just over the loins, the horse will be a nice 

 hack. For hunting he must have a deep girth, well 

 sprung ribs extending to within a hand's breadth of 

 the hips, which should be wide — plum-shaped hips 

 are very objectionable — a strong big dock to his tail 

 is a good point, showing as it does a strong spine, and 

 consequently good nervous system ; he should also 

 have muscular quarters and second thighs and strong 

 hocks. 



* When the withers are good and the shoulder somewhat 

 straight, there is a hollow behind the shoulder blades into which 

 the saddle soon slips. 



