TOE nACKNEY. 



89 



enoufli to give pleasant action, but not to render the horse incapable of 

 the wear and tear of constant, and, sometimes, hard work. 



The foot is a matter of the greatest consequence in a hackney. It should 

 be of a size corresponding with the bulk of the animal, neither too hollow 

 nor too flat ; open at the heels ; and free from corns and thrushes. 



The fore-legs should be perfectly straight. There needs not a moment's 

 consideration with the public to be convinced that a horse with his knees 

 bent, will, from a slight cause, and especially if he is over- weighted, come 

 down. The fact however is, that a horse with bent fore-legs has rarely 

 broken knees. 



The back should be straight and short, yet sufficiently long to leave 

 comfortable room for the saddle between the shoulders and the haunch 

 Avithout pressing on either. Some persons prefer a hollow-backed horse. 

 He is generally "an easy one to go. He will canter well with a lady ; he 

 may not carry so heavy a weight, nor stand such very hard work, but it 

 is a great luxury to ride him. 



THE HACKNEY. 



The road-horse should be high in the forehand ; round in the barrel ; 

 and deep in the chest : the saddle will not then press too forward, but the 

 girths will remain firmly fixed in their proper place. 



A hackney is far more valuable for the pleasantness of his paces, and 

 his safety, good temper, and endurance, than for his speed. We rarely 

 want to go more than eight or ten miles in an hour ; and, on a joiirney, 

 not more than six or seven. The fast horses, and especially the fast trot- 

 ters, are not often easy in their paces, and although they may perform 

 very extraordinary feats, are disabled and worthless when the slower horse 

 is in his prime. 



The above is the portrait of one that belonged to an old friend of the 

 author. He was no beauty, and yet he was full of good points. He was 

 never out of temper — he never stumbled — he never showed that he was 

 tired — most certainly was never off his feed — but, being a strange fellow 

 to eat, he one day, although the groom had a thousand times been 



