208 THE POST AND THE PADDOCK. 



lack substance and coupling behind it ; while the 

 long shoulders, which are so much talked of, may 

 tend to send them down, but do very little towards 

 helping them up a hill. No " jumped-up " horse 

 ever does much ; while a heavy shoulder or quarters, 

 flat sides, light back-ribs, a light middle, legginess, 

 a peacock forehand, straight weak hocks, and high 

 withers, invariably denote an inability to stay. 

 Straight thighs, though they seldom get a horse well 

 up a hill, and long pasterns, are as generally an 

 indication of speed, as slanting thighs and a broad 

 chest are of the contrary, and very pretty two-year- 

 olds seldom improve on their form. We have also 

 seen many coffin-headed horses great gluttons for a 

 distance, and we do not dislike those which go wide 

 behind, though such a peculiarity does not suit short 

 quick races. 



Still the types of distinguished runners vary most 

 wonderfully. Hambletonian was a very lofty lengthy 

 horse, with a fine back and big well-coupled ribs ; 

 while Priam, on the contrary, was rather light there, 

 and though a splendid animal when you stood up to 

 him, he looked remarkably narrow as you examined 

 him from behind. Glencoe and Haphazard were 

 both rather hollow-backed ; and the latter had a way 

 of poking his head straight out at exercise, which 

 made him appear one long level from his ears to his 

 tail. Surplice's fore-legs " look as if they grew out 

 of one hole " ; The Flying Dutchman was narrow 

 and light in the middle ; Blacklock had huge calf 

 knees and bad fore-legs altogether ; Voltigeur's fore- 

 hand is too massive; Plenipo was as thick as a bul- 

 lock ; The Colonel had round heavy quarters and a 

 general lack of liberty about him ; and Violante was 

 a great fine mare who loved the A.F., while the little 

 Meteora delighted in " the beacon." Size has, after 

 all, not much to do with success on the Turf, if a 

 horse's lungs and loins are only sound and strong, 



