HOW TO KNOW HIM. 29 



the other it is fine, dense, and compact. A section 

 from the canon-bone of a low-bred cart-horse, after 

 being exposed to the action of the atmosphere, is seen to 

 be, when held up between the eye and the sun, spongy, 

 porous, and full of holes : while a section from the 

 canon-bone of a thorough-bred horse is solid and hard 

 as ivory ; so much so, indeed, that it will take a polish 

 like a piano-key. This fact reveals the whole story, and 

 prevents all future blundering. Of course, a certain 

 size is requisite ; but all above the absolutely needed 

 amount is only unnecessary weight, which, without giv- 

 ing any assistance to the animal, he is compelled to 

 carry along. Now, when you reflect that the differ- 

 ence of even ten pounds in the weight of two drivers 

 will lose the heavier di'iver's horse the race, albeit he is 

 in every respect equal to his rival, you will readily per- 

 ceive how important, when we come to the matter of 

 speed, this point of bone-weight is : for it is as bad to 

 weight the horse in the limbs and neck as it is in the 

 sulky ; nay, worse ; for it exhausts the horse more to 

 carry ten pounds of lead, we will say, fastened to his 

 legs, or tied around his neck, than to draw it on wheels. 

 I advocate, therefore, the breeding of colts with as slim 

 neck as is consistent with constitutional endurance, and 

 with as small limbs as comports with strength ; for this 

 reason, if for none other,— because every ounce of un- 

 necessary bone substance and flesh about the neck is so 

 much dead-weight for the horse to carry. But beyond 

 this is the question of beauty, which, none will deny, 



