104 THE BODY. 



THE BODY. 



The relative proportion of the depth of the bdy, meas- 

 ured from the withers to the brisket, to the lendi of the 

 body is a trifle less than one-half. 



The body or centrepiece should be compact. with but 

 little space between the last ribs and the thigh. 



The ribs should be well rounded and of considerable 

 depth. Flat-sided horses, other things being equal have not 

 the substance that horses have that are the possssors of 

 good barrels. The ribs should be well extended rom the 

 chest to the loins. As has been said above, there aould be 

 but little space between the last ribs and the stile joint, 

 and if the space is not more than the width of thre or four 

 fingers the horse may be considered well knit toether in 

 this respect. Too much stress cannot be laid upon a horse 

 being well ribbed up. 



The withers should be high, as they form the tcture to 

 which the suspensory muscles of the neck, the mscles of 

 the upper part of the back, and the forward one of the 

 shoulder are attached. High withers are especially esirable 

 in a saddle horse ; their value however is dependat upon 

 the presence of moderately developed muscles. If te with- 

 ers are too lean they are apt to become injured fom the 

 pressure of the pommel of the saddle, and if too heay their 

 efficiency in keeping the saddle in place is lost. 



In all horses that are to perform light and rapi work 

 the longer and more sloping the shoulder the bette is the 

 animal qualified to fulfil this class of work. 



The back and loins should be short, broad, at and 

 nearly straight. A hollow back is the sign of wakness. 

 The croup should be almost straight (the horse "Whit of the 



