EXTERNAL FORMATION 107 



together is always much greater than that of the windpipe, they cannot 

 in themselves offer any impediment to breathing. Without a trial, however, 

 as the internal passages cannot be measured, the size of the nostrils must 

 be accepted as the best guide to that of the more essential parts, and 

 practically this is sufficient for general purposes, only inferior to an actual 

 trial. The ears should be moderately long, thin, and not inclined to 

 " lop." The muzzle should be fine ; but in those very pointed jaws, which 

 their owners regard with so much pride, as " small enough to drink out of 

 a quart pot," the nostrils are seldom large enough, and hence they are to 

 be regarded with great suspicion, beautiful as they undoubtedly are. A 

 slight concavity in the front line, descending from the forehead to the 

 front of the muzzle, is regarded as a mark of breeding, and, if not too 

 marked, deservedly so ; but a very deep concavity is often attended with 

 a vicious temper. Lastly, a lean and wide lower jaw should not be omitted 

 as a grand desideratum ; the former point is merely a sign of breeding, 

 but the latter is (as I before remarked in describing the neck) essential to 

 the proper bending of the one part on the other. The experienced horse- 

 man always passes his fingers between the angles, and if there is not plenty 

 of room, he knows that the head cannot be well carried, and he is inclined 

 to suspect that the larynx will be impeded in its functions, and that, con- 

 sequently, respiration will be affected either by roaring, whistling or some 

 or other of the many forms of " making a noise." With all these dimensions, 

 which may, comparatively, readily be described, there should be combined 

 a cheerful and airy expression of countenance, without any appearance of 

 vice. The thoroughbred horse is not often too sluggish, and it is not in 

 that direction that we should look for infirmities of temper ; nor is it easy 

 to describe the marks or signs by which vice of any kind can be at once 

 recognized from the mere expression. Still the horseman will do well 

 to study the countenance of this as well as other breeds of horses, and 

 he will find, in course of time, that no little assistance will be derived 

 from it. 



THE SHOULDER-BLADE is, like the head, peculiarly formed in the 

 Eastern horse, having greater obliquity in its position, and a superior 

 length and breadth, as compared with all others. For the reasons 

 which may be alleged for the desirability of these characteristics, I 

 must refer to pages 10, 11, where I have already given them. Suffice 

 it to observe, that an obliquely-placed and broad blade, well clothed 

 with muscles, is the desirable formation of this part, added to a well- 

 developed "point," as the prominence at the joint between the blade 

 and true arm-bone is called by the horseman. If this is too level and 

 smooth, the muscles which are attached to it have not sufficient leverage ; 

 while if it is very ragged and prominent, it is a mark of diseased or 

 excessive growth of bone, and is generally attended with a stiffness of 

 the part. Indeed, in examining a shoulder-blade, freedom of action 

 is to be regarded much more than its exact position when at rest; for 

 if you have the desired effect, it cotters not (except for breeding 

 purposes) whether it is exceptional or not; and, as a matter of course, 

 it is better to have a freely-playing shoulder which when at rest is 

 too upright than a perfectly formed one confined to its place, as we 

 sometimes see it. The oblique shoulder-blade is specially required in 



