ON THE HACKNEY AND HUNTER. lgg 



conceive, that a long and bulky neck, muft en- 

 cumber, and retard progreffion, by deflroying 

 the equipoife of the machine ; alfo, that with a 

 fhorter neck, the horfe has a lefs diftance to fetch 

 his wind. 



The form and fize of the shoulder, is ob- 

 vioufly a point of the firft importance. St. 

 Bel, fpeaking of the mechanical caufes, of the 

 power of progreffive motion, in every animated 

 machine, fays, " The bones and mufcles are fim- 

 ply an apparatus of columns, levers,pullies, cords, 

 wedges, &c. the combined operations of which 

 occafion greater or lefs fpeed ;" — and, " on the 

 good or bad conftruclion of the fhoulder, pro- 

 greflion materially depends, as its motion deter- 

 mines that of the inferior parts. A long and 

 oblique (boulder, is the indication of fpeed, be- 

 caufe, in proportion to the length, and obli- 

 quity of that part, the farther the arms of the 

 lever will be extended, and the greater will be 

 the portion of the circle which it will defcribe." 

 In order to capital action, and that the horfe may 

 extend his legs very far forward, the fhoulder 

 muft fall backward from a deep breaft in an ob- 

 lique direction (the fternum, or keel, fomewhat 

 projeftingj and, leflening by degrees, go fairly up 

 to the top of the withers. Mr. Culley (whole ob- 

 fervations have always weight) is partial toHorfes 

 wide a-top, upon the withers ; and fuppofing 

 the (boulders to be, at the fame time, very ob- 



o 4 liquely 



