250 THE LOINS. THE WiTIIERS. 



or drive forward tlic body ; but, on the other hand, a long-backed horse 

 will be comparatively weak in the back, and easily overweighted. A long 

 spring may be easily bent or broken. The weight of the rider, likewise, 

 placed farther from the extremities, Avill act with mechanical disadvantage 

 upon them, and be more likely to strain them. A short-backed horse may 

 be a good hackney, and able to carry the heaviest weight, and possess 

 more endurance ; but his paces will not be so easy, nor his speed so gi*eat, 

 and he may be apt to overreach. 



The comparative advantage of a long or short carcase depends entirely 

 on the use for which the horse is intended. For genei'al purposes the 

 horse with a short carcase is very properly preferred. He will possess 

 health and strength ; for horses of this make are proverbially hardy. He 

 will have sufficient easiness of action not to fatigue the rider, and speed 

 for every ordinaiy purpose. Length of back will always be desirable when 

 there is more than usual substance generally, and particularly ^vhen the 

 loins are wide and the muscles of the loins large and swelling. The two 

 requisites, strength and speed, will then probably be united. 



The back should be depressed a little immediately behind the withers ; 

 and then continue in an almost straight line to the loins. This is the form 

 most consistent with beauty and strength. Some horses liavea very con- 

 siderable hollow behind the withers. They are said to be saddle-hacJied. 

 It seems as if a depression were purposely made for the saddle. Such 

 horses are evidently easy goers, for this curve inward must necessarily 

 increase the play of the joints of the back ; but in the same proportion 

 they are weak and liable to sprain. To the general appearance of the 

 horse, this defect is not in any great degree iiijurious ; for the hollow of 

 the back is uniformly accompanied by a beautifully arched crest. 



A few horses have the curve outward. They are said to be roach-hached, 

 from the supposed resemblance to the arched back of the roach. This is a 

 very serious defect ; altogether incompatible with beauty, and miaterially 

 diminishing the usefulness of the animal. It is almost impossible to pre- 

 vent the saddle from being thrown on the shoulders, or the back from being 

 galled ; the elasticity of the spine is destroyed ; the rump is badly set 

 on ; the hinder legs ai'e too much under the animal ; he is continually 

 overreaching, and his head is carried awkwardly low. 



THE LOINS. 



The loins ai"e attentively examined by every good horseman. They can 

 scarcely bo too broad and muscular. The strength of the back, and, espe- 

 cially, the strength of the hinder extremities, will depend materially on 

 this. The breadth of the loins is regulated by tlie length of the transverse 

 or side processes of that part. The bodies of the bones of the loins are 

 likewise larger than those of the back ; and a more dove-tailed kind of 

 union subsists between these bones than between those of the back. Every 

 provision is made for strength here. The union of the back and loins 

 should be carefully observed, for there is sometimes a depression between 

 them. A kind of line is drawn across, which shows imperfection in the 

 construction of the sj)ine, and is regarded as an indication of weakness. 



THE WITHERS. 



The spinous or upright processes of the dorsal vertebrae, or bones of the 

 back, above the upper part of the shoulder, are as remarkable for their 

 length as are the transverse or side processes of the bones of the loins. 

 They are flattened and terminated by rough blunted extremities. The 

 elevated ridge which they form is called the withers. It will be seen in 

 the cats (pp. 140 and 244), that the spine of the first bone of the back has 



