THE RACEHORSE. 7 



and therefore badly developed, neck indicates weak- 

 ness. 



I have often been told that a good neck should be 

 light, arched, long, and airy ; but in answer, all I have 

 to say is this : when it can be proved that a want of 

 muscular development constitutes a good neck, I shall 

 then, and not till then, alter my opinion. 



SHOULDERS. 



I must pass on to a point of all others the least 

 understood, or rather the most misunderstood, by 

 ninety-nine out of every hundred persons conversant 

 with horseflesh. Among such it is very common to 

 hear what are termed clean, or rather thin, weak, 

 knify shoulders upheld as a sine qua non of a race- 

 horse; though how the Sweetmeats, Blair Athols, 

 Fandangoes, Voltigeurs, Fishermans, Stockwells, Life- 

 boats, Touchstones, and numerous other notoriously 

 muscular-shouldered horses, go to prove the correctness 

 of such opinions, I am at a loss to comprehend ; and if 

 we are not to derive our conclusions from living horses, 

 from whence can they be obtained ? That the scapula 

 must be properly placed, — i.e., in an oblique position, I 

 think all must agree, though Teddington and one or 

 two more come in as the exceptions ; but why such 

 formation should be unattended by a proper covering 

 of muscle, is an enigma. The Touchstones can all stay, 

 and we never heard it stated that they were deficient 

 in speed ; but if any one should be tempted to make 

 such an assertion, the fact that Touchstone has some 



