12 THE HORSE 



elbow, but this is an exception to the rule. A long and muscular fore-arm 

 is a sure accompaniment of strong and sweeping action, and should be 

 carefully prized ; in other respects there is little to be noted here. Next 

 comes the knee, which should be broad, and when looked at from the 

 front should be much Avider than the limb above and below. It should 

 taper off backwards to a comparatively thin edge, and should have a good 

 development of the pisiform-bone, which projects backwards at its upper 

 part. The leg, immediately below the knee, should be as large as any 

 other part, and not " tied in " there, which indicates a weakness of this 

 part. A bending of the knee backwai'ds is called a " calf-knee," and is 

 not objected to in cart-horses, in which it is by no means uncommon ; but 

 it is very apt to lead to strains of this joint in the race-horse or hunter. 

 A knee naturally bending somewhat forward is much preferred by good 

 judges, though, when it is the result of over-work, it is almost equally to 

 be avoided with the calf-knee. Flat, and at the same time large, cannon- 

 bones, without gumminess, are of great importance, and if attended with 

 a full-sized suspensory ligament, and with strong, clean, and free back 

 sinews, the leg is to be considered faultless. The fetlock-joint should be 

 of good size and clean, whilst the pasterns should form an angle with the 

 ground, of between forty-five and sixty degrees. Lastly, the foot should 

 be well formed ; but the construction of this part being hereafter more 

 fully described, I shall omit its consideration here. 



In the Middlepiece the withers come fii'st under notice. It is usual 

 to desire them high and thin, but they are very commonly too much 

 developed, and if the bony processes stand up like the edge of a razor, 

 without muscle on them, they are to be regarded us objectionable rather 

 than otherwise. The inexperienced horseman is apt to consider the exist- 

 ence of high withers as a sure sign that the saddle will be carried well 

 back, but there are some horses whose withers are the greatest annoyance 

 to the rider, for having upright and short shoulder-blades, together with 

 high withers, the saddle rides forward upon the latter, and chafes them in 

 spite of all the padding which can be introduced. In looking at this 

 point, I believe the purchaser should almost entirely disregard it, except- 

 ing to take care that it is not too high for the formation and position of 

 the shoulder-blades. If these are long, and therefore slanting, and espe- 

 cially if in addition to a proper position of the bones they are furnished 

 with plenty of muscle, the withers may be disregarded, and the action may 

 be expected to be good even if they are so low as to show no rise between 

 the neck and the back. 



The volume of the chest is the measure not only of the capacity of the 

 lungs, but of that of the large organs of digestion. Hence, unless there is 

 a middlepiece of proper size, the wind is seldom good, and the stamina of 

 the individual will scarcely ever be sufficient to bear hard work. But 

 there is a limit to the development of this part in those breeds which are 

 required to move with much velocity, where weight is a great object ; and 

 if the body of the race-horse or hunter was as heavy as that of the dray- 

 horse, the speed would be greatly reduced, and the legs would give way 

 during the first severe gallop. So also, a wide chest interferes with the 

 free and rapid action of the shoulders and arms as they glide on the ribs ; 

 and an open bosom is almost always fatal to high speed. In the race-horse 



