LESSONS IN HORSE JUDGING. 85 



mixed ground, higher action becomes habitual, 

 and in going fast on uneven ground they must 

 habitually lift their feet well, and keep them well 

 in advance of the body, or they must stumble 

 and fall. Draught horses too go over all kinds of 

 ground, and get into the habit of lifting their feet 

 well from the ground, but in their case slower 

 speed gives them time to rectify a false step that 

 would bring the subject of quicker movement to 

 the ground. Then their limbs are placed more 

 under the body, and, being shorter, the action 

 takes place under the body and not in front of it. 



THE TRUNK. 



69. — We must now pass in review the trunk 

 of the horse, by which we mean the ^ chest ' and 

 ^ belly.' 



70. — The chest, as has been before observed, is 

 cone-shaped, having the apex of the cone point- 

 ing forward and its base backwards. This cone 

 shape is very effectually hidden from our view in 

 the living horse by those large muscular and 

 bony masses, the shoulders, being placed by the 

 side of the apex of the cone and extending back- 

 wards. The cone is made up of bones, having 

 the backbone and upper end of the ribs for a 

 roof, the ribs for sides and the breast bone for 

 the floor. This bony framework contains those 

 vital organs, the heart and lungs. In animals 

 used for speed and power the chest must be very 

 large, because speed and power expend much 

 oxygen, which the lungs have to procure for the 



