HACKS AND HUNTERS, 205 



men, though staggering-, manage to get home without a 

 fall. 



The paces of a thoroughly good hack are characterised 

 by perfect regujarity and ease ; his shoulders are well set, 

 sloping, and strong ; his feet well formed, his back some- 

 what short, his loins muscular, and his hips wide. The 

 shoulders at the withers are thick and firm — their tops 

 well back — and a good long space between the pommel of 

 the saddle and the termination of the mane. 



Fore-leg action of the proper sort is an actual necessity 

 in a hack intended for a lady to ride, because the safety of 

 the rider is dependent upon it ; but in selecting such an 

 animal look to his hind-leg action as well. If the hock 

 joints do not, when moving, seem pliable, and as though 

 they were bent with perfect ease, bringing his hind legs well 

 forward, reject him at once, no matter how good his front 

 action, or how perfect his forehand may appear. 



Good hocks are clear, sharp, and well-defined in their 

 outline, with bones large and prominent, denoting a similar 

 condition of the muscles. When too much bent there is 

 generally a liability to sprain, and when placed very far 

 back there is, as a rule, an absence of propelling power. I 

 like to see hocks in such a position as shows that they are 

 right under the centre of gravity. This always enables a 

 horse to propel himself with confidence, and to bring his 

 hind-legs properly under him in the trot — at which pace 

 they should be carried as far forward as they can well be, 

 without hitting the fore-feet. An animal that sticks his 

 hind toes in the ground, and walks gingerly, as though his 



