SELECTING A MOUNT, 35 



an inclination that way he will be very likely to come 

 down, and a sure-footed horse is positively essential to the 

 comfort and safety of a lady rider. Bent knees denote a 

 weakness of the muscles and tendons of the back of the leo- 

 and are therefore to be reckoned as fatal to a roadster, 

 although, strange to say, they are not thought nearly so 

 objectionable in a racer, his price being in some instances 

 not very materially lessened by them. This is owing to 

 the fact that in the gallop they do not tell against an 

 animal, wh?le in the trot they do, very materially. 

 *' Diamond," who was, some years ago, the winner of many 

 important races, was so marred in appearance by this 

 defect, that when standing still he always looked ready 

 to topple over upon his knees ; yet sportsmen know what 

 a brilliant cross-country performer he was, and what a price 

 Joe Anderson — dear old man ! still living, and hearty, though 

 deaf as any post — gave for him after his win at La Marche. 



I have not the objection that most persons have to a 

 hollow-backed horse, especially when designed to carry 

 a lady's saddle. It is infinitely preferable to anything 

 approaching a roach-back, and animals distinguished by 

 it are, strange to say, generally possessed of a variety of 

 excellent points — extreme good temper and docility bein 

 among the most prominent. An unduly m.arked sinkin 

 of the spine is certainly not to be desired, but an animal 

 who has what grooms term *' a touch of a dip," need not on 

 any account be rejected for it. 



A wise purchaser will always make a careful examina- 

 tion of the angles of the lips. A decided hardness about 



D 2 



cr 

 fc> 



or 



