26 THE HORSE, 



there is a want of constitution, and rejects the animal on chat 

 account. But not only are muscles of full size required, but there 

 must be strong joints to bear the strain which these exert, and one 

 of the most important of all the points of the horse is the hock. 

 This should be of good size, but clean and flat, without any gum- 

 miness or thoroughpins, and with a good clean point standing clear 

 of the rest of the joint; the " curby place" and the situation of 

 spavin should be free from enlargement ; but to detect these dis- 

 eases a considerable amount of practice is required. Lastly, the 

 hocks should be well let down, which depends upon the length of 

 the thigh, and insures a short cannon-bone. The pasterns and 

 feet should be formed in correspondence with those of the fore 

 extremity, to which I have already alluded. 



Such are the recognised points to be desired in the horse; but in 

 spite of the general opinion of good judges being in favor of them, 

 as I have described, no one can predicate with certainty that a horse 

 possessing them all in perfection will have a corresponding degree 

 of action out of doors. No one who has bought many horses will 

 be content with an inspection in the stable, even if the light is as 

 good as that of the open air, for he well knows that there is often 

 a vast difference between the estimate of the value of a horse Avhich 

 he forms indoors and out. Much of this depends upon the temper 

 of the individual, for if he is dull and heavy he will not " make a 

 good show," though still he may be capable of being sufficiently 

 excited by hounds, and many such horses are invaluable hunters. 

 Independently, however, of this element, it will be sometimes found 

 that the frame which looks nearly perfectly symmetrical while at 

 rest, becomes awkward and comparatively unsightly while in mo- 

 tion; and the horse which is expected to move well will often be 

 sent back to his stall with " That will do, thank you," after a 

 single run. 



PROPORTIONS OF THE VARIOUS POINTS. 



The proportions of the component parts of the horse, as I havo 

 already remarked, vary a good deal in the different breeds. The 

 following, however, may be taken as the most perfect; but they 

 refer especially to the racer, hunter, and hack, as well as to the 

 lighter and more blood-like harness horses, and must not be strictly 

 applied to the draught-horse in any of his varieties : — 



This scale is drawn in inches, and, in the outline, the horse ia 

 supposed to be fifteen hands three inches, or sixty-three inches 

 high. The measurements are the average of those carefully taken 

 from six horses considered to be of perfect symmetry. Two of 

 these were celebrated stallions, two thoroughbred hunters, and two 

 chargers of greai value. 



