now TO KNOW KCM. 33 



is ; and this no horse with high withers can do. The 

 point is this, — that a low-going horse loses less time in 

 his stride than a high-going one ; and this fractional varia- 

 tion, however minute, counts in a race where the horse 

 is timed to, and can only hope to beat his competitor by, 

 the fraction of a second. Hence many horsemen of 

 close observation prefer a horse whose rump is quite as 

 high as the withers, if not a little higher ; and I confess 

 to an agreement with them in the matter. But however 

 men may differ upon this point, still I think all will agree 

 in this, — that it is most unwise, in selecting a horse solely 

 for speed, to choose one higher forward than behind. 

 Such a horse can never win a race, where, in other 

 respects, his rival is his equal. 



Be this, moreover, observed, that it is exceedingly easy 

 for one to misjudge touching the length and obliquity 

 of the shoulders ; and this is done in five cases out of ten 

 when you base your decision on the appearance of the 

 withers and upper portion of the shgulder. The height 

 of a horse's withers is not a true index of the position or 

 length of the shoulder-blades, or of the depth of his 

 chest. Many horses with high, thin withers, and aiopar- 

 ently sloping shoulders and deep chest, have, in fact, very 

 upright shoulders, and too little chest-room to accommo- 

 date the heart and lungs ; while, on the other hand, many 

 horses with low withers and apparently circular shoulders 

 have the' best possible shoulder conformation for wind 

 and speed. This is the case especially with some of the 

 French or Canadian trotters, and with the whole Morgan 



