53 



strength of the horse. This is a matter on which 

 every man who follows my former advice, to 

 consider well what kind of a horse he wants, is 

 more or less competent to judge. 



I will offer a remark which to me is new. A 

 well-bred horse is rarely able to carry much weight 

 if he stands less than fifteen hands and an inch ; 

 a half-bred horse will often cany great weight 

 though he does not exceed fourteen. It is difficult 

 to define exactly the difference in appearance be- 

 tween well-bred and half-bred horses. To the eye 

 it is inteUigible at a glance, but it may guide the 

 observation in some measure to notice that there is 

 a general lightness and promise of elasticity about 

 the former, which the latter usually want ; the 

 head is smaller, the crest higher, the mane and 

 tail more silky in their form, the hocks and legs 

 are flatter, or have that character which the jockies 

 describe as " clean :" the root of the tail is better 

 defined, the outline of the hind legs from the hock 

 to the fetlock is perpendicular ; the tendons of the 

 muscles in the leg are usually more distinctly de- 

 veloped, and are more tense to the touch : the feet 

 are smaller, and their pastern joints are commonly 

 longer. Their action is yet more distinct ; the high- 

 bred horse does not usually possess high action, 

 and his walk and trot are slower in speed and less 



