OF THE HORSE. 21 



placed. No neck can be too loaded with flesh, as flesh is 

 muscle of which no horse can have too much, provided 

 other parts have it in a like degree. It is evident that 

 short necks cannot be reined up without danger of suflbca- 

 tion ; and it is seldom that a short-necked horse is speedy, 

 though we have seen some excellent trotting-horses with 

 obvious short necks. In stalhons thickness of neck is to be 

 expected as ^distinctive sexual mark. Short-necks, when very 

 obvious, have one disadvantage. The horse of this confor- 

 mation cannot lower his head sufficiently to get a full meal 

 when turned out to grass. Now and then the neck is 

 arched downwards, which is called ewe-necked. When the 

 deformity is considerable, it prevents the head from being 

 carried in its true angle ; instead of which, the nose, from 

 being projected, upwards and forwards, has occasioned such 

 horses to be called star-gazers ; to remedy which, it is usual 

 to draw down the head by a martingale. It may not be amiss 

 to mention, that, in the purchase of a horse, it is prudent to 

 observe whether the upper part of the neck bears any marks 

 of a tight collar having been worn : when such an appear- 

 ance does exist, it commonly arises either from a strap 

 worn to prevent the action of cribbiting, or such a horse is 

 apt to unloose himself from the halter, which is almost an 

 equal defect. A large prominent wind-pipe is considered 

 desirable ; and a point which will seldom be found to dis- 

 appoint, though little noticed among horsemen, is a free 

 pendulous cord or fleshy band proceeding from the upper 

 part of the throat to the part of the channiel which joins the 

 neck. 



The 7nane crowns the neck throughout its whole extent : 

 in front of the head it is called the foretop. Its intention 

 evidently is to act as a whisp to drive away the flies from 

 the forehead, which part is much exposed and has no muscle 

 wherewith to shake off" insects. In stallions, the mane is 

 generally thick and long ; a white one, exhibited some years 

 ago, was several feet long, and was carried in a bag. It is usual, 

 wdien it is wished to thin the mane and tail, to wrap a tuft 

 of the hair around the fingers, and pull it out by the roots ; 

 but this mode prevents its laying well, and disposes some 

 horses to resist. In my. own stable I have found that the 



