0,8 ON THE HORSE IN GENERAL. 



lated to be rather a burden than any real 

 benefit to their owner. The long and dif- 

 couraging catalogue of the defects of Horfes, 

 which every connoifeur among us, is obliged 

 to have at his finger's ends, obvioufly ferves 

 but too well to eftablilh what I have advanced 

 as fact If we are indebted to blood for all 

 our advantages, it is equally certain, that an 

 injudicious ufe is too frequently made of it. 

 We obferve too much delicacy and pliability 

 of finew, with too little bone and fubftance, in 

 great numbers of thofe Horfes dellined to 

 quick draft. The legs of fuch will fcarce ever 

 accompany the carcafe in a proportional fhare 

 of labour over turnpike roads. As to the 

 refufe of our fluds of race-horfes, it confifts 

 ufually of a parcel of half-got, delicate, weak, 

 fpider-legged creatures, which it is a mifery to 

 fee applied to any labour whatever. Our 

 grand dejideratum now is, fubftance well 

 placed, .which enfures both power and aclion; 

 a deep and well-proportioned frame; to fup- 

 port thefe through the piece, bone under the 

 knee, and tough feet. 



It will be no difficult matter, to aftign furfi- 

 cient reafons, why Horfes of the above valu- 

 able defcription are not more plentiful among 

 us; or rather one reafon alone will fuffice. 

 We owe our defecls to a total abfence of all 

 regular principles in our general breeding 



fyftem. 



