6 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



if the jaws are wide and the neck of the proper conformation, 

 will be the case, and will assist very materially in giving to 

 the horse what is called a " good mouth." The withers must 

 neither be too fine, thick, or low ; a fine wither, well covered 

 with muscle, and yet not loaded, is considered perfection. The 

 mane should be fine, silky, and not too abundant. The 

 shoulder-blade must be long and oblique, not vertical ; neither 

 must it be coarse and prominent, but should blend gradually 

 into the withers and back. A coarse^ thick shoulder should 

 always be avoided, as should also a very fine one, which leaves 

 the withers standing up in a thin ridge like a ploughshare ; for 

 an animal with such shoulders will soon become fatigued, owing 

 to the insufficient muscular development of these parts. The 

 long, oblique shoulder gives plenty of space before the rider, 

 the saddle sits well, provided the ^' girth" of the chest is also 

 deep, and the action is pleasant. But if the shoulder be 

 straight or short, or a combination of the two, the saddle will 

 be too forward ; and when the horse stumbles, as he is almost 

 sure to do from defective action due to this faulty conforma- 

 tion, he runs the chance of falling, breaking his knees, and 

 perhaps the neck of his rider as well. 



The chest should be deep and moderately wide, both condi- 

 tions being essential to the full development of the functions 

 of the heart and lungs. The fore-arm must be long in propor- 

 tion to the leg, that is, the greater length in proportion must 

 be above the knee, and the less below it the better ; the mus- 

 cular development of the fore-arm should be as great as pos- 

 sible. The elbow, in addition, should be long and prominent, 

 not turned in, but be clear of the chest. The knee should be 

 large, wide, and prominent, but should appear more or less broad 

 and flat when looked at in front, while the bone behind should be 

 long and project well backward. " Calf knees " (those which 

 incline backwards), " buck knees " (those inclining towards each 

 other), and those inclining forwards, should always be avoided. 



