THE HORSE BUYING AND SELLING. 607 



ROACH-BACK is the reverse of the sway-back, yet like it is a 

 deviation from the normal line of strength, and lessens power or 

 strength. It is often produced by causing colts or young horses 

 to draw too heavy loads. When the back is weakened it becomes 

 an unsoundness. The short, level, broad back, filling up well 

 back of the shoulder and between the hips may be taken as the 

 ideal, and departures from it avoided. 



LONG WAIST is a horseman's term, used when the animal is 

 long between the last rib and haunch bone. It is apt to be 

 associated with a light loin, a narrow loin. Long waist, narrow 

 hips, all tell of weakness, and generally go together. 



HIGH HIPS, are unsightly, and usually owe their prominence 

 to the narrow and poorly developed loin. High hipped horses 

 are usually long waisted. Horses possessing these marks are 

 washy, easily " gaunted," or thrown off their feed by a hard task, 

 and easily purge on a journey. Large hips of themselves give 

 great leverage, and if with them the loins are full, and the ani- 

 mal " well ribbed up," the wide hips give great power. 



LARGE BARREL, or middle piece. A good large barrel-shaped 

 middle piece, with the broad hips and full loin and level back, 

 complete the points that show powers of endurance and vitality. 

 POT-BELLIED, is a term applied to the animal abnormally large 

 in the barrel. It tells of grossness, sluggishness, and lack of 

 endurance and pluck. It may be a good point in a milch cow, 

 but is wholly unbecoming an animal whose value arises from 

 action and endurance. 



HERRING-GUTTED is the opposite of the large round barrel, 

 and is indicative of the nervous, irritable disposition that comes 

 along with poor digestion or improper assimilation of food. It is 

 akin to the narrow chest and slab-side. All tell of defect in 

 strength, temper and endurance, as no animal defective in lung 

 and digestive power can be of the best form and temper and 

 quality. In the horse as the human, temper and power to 

 endure arise largely from the character of lungs and stomach, 

 as well as from the head and heart. 



General Hints to Purchasers. Experience and a prac- 

 ticed eye can only enable one to be a skillful buyer. The 



