42 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



The hind quarters of the light harness horse often stand slightly 

 higher than the fore quarters at the withers and have a lean and 

 somewhat angular appearance. The hips should be muscular to 

 a limited extent and not fleshy. A long, wide, comparatively 

 level croup is very desirable. Steepness of croup is common 

 among light harness horses, more especially pacers. Hayes states 1 

 that "to have the point of the buttock placed high and project- 

 ing well to the rear is a great beauty, which may be seen in 

 some Thoroughbreds and in high-caste Arabs." The gaskin 



FIG. 12. Rhea W. and Easter Belle, champion roadsters at the National Horse 



Show, Madison Square Garden, New York, 1904. The property of Miss K. L. 



Wilks, Gait, Ontario, Canada. From photograph by courtesy of Miss Wilks 



should be long, broad, and muscular. Length and strength of 

 gaskin muscle are especially important if speed is desired. The 

 stifle joint should be fairly high and face outward enough to 

 permit freedom of motion. The hock should be lean and sharply 

 defined, with no tendency to fleshiness, and should be straight 

 and open enough to permit the cannon bone to hold a vertical 

 line. Such a leg has a maximum of extension in producing speed. 

 Curved or sickle hocks are often seen with race horses, in which 

 case the natural tendency is to carry the hind feet well under 

 the body when at rest. 



1 The Points of the Horse, p. 311. 



