[V2 CONFORM A'lION OF 



tliis fonn. well knowiuL:: no ollior wnnild fnttoii so advnn- 

 tapHMislv. 



'V\\c hark coinnuMicrs iVoin the withers. It should not 

 he too loiiu', as such a form is unt'avourahle to streni;th : 

 U)n<;-haeki'(l horses are, however, jjlcwsaut to the rider, 

 because the action aod re-action are more considerable in a, 

 loni;- than a short hack, and conse(|iiently the sprint; greater 

 in the one than the othci'. I>ul what such hoi-ses i;ain in 

 ease they lose in strcMii;th; holh tlu' h:;aments and tissues 

 beint;- loni;cr, nuist act to -;reater disa(lvanlai;c\ WIumi the 

 back is too short, such horses, by havim;- their extrcMuitics 

 too much ai)i)ro\imated, usually oviMivach. i'hc hack 

 may be curved inwards or outwards ; when inwards, it is 

 termed holloir, or saddlc-hdckcd, and presents a formation 

 uo[ favomahle to strength ; but as tlie counterpoise is 

 Ivcpt up hv other curves, so the crest is generally uood : 

 such horses ride pleasantly, and connnonly carry consider- 

 able carcass, sometimes, indeed, too nuich. When the 

 cui-vc is outwards, the horse is said to he roach-backril, 

 which tbrm tenils to prevent liberty in action, lenders him 

 imeasy in his j)aces, and, from the approximation of his ex- 

 tremities, he will also otten ovcrri^ach ; and, as a niH-essary 

 consi'(iuence of' this form of the spine, the niH-k and head 

 ari> somctimc^s carried low. A sbort-backi^d hoise is in 

 consiik>rahle recjuest with manv jiiM'sons ; but when tlu> hack 

 is too short, theiv is seldom great speed, tor the hind legs 

 cannot he brought sutliciently undcM- llu> body to jiropel the 

 mass forwai'ds. 



The loins oceui)v the attention ol" all good judgi^s in tlu'ir 

 consideration ol" a horse, and tor any jmrpose they can 

 bardl) be too broad. The hack (>xten(ls to the posterior rib, 

 and whci'e the hack ends, tin- loins ht^gin. Sometiujcs, this 

 junction ol ilu' hack and loins piesents an iiulnitation, as 

 though the union was incomplete. 'I'his may be ccMisidi-rcd, 

 in si)me degree, as a. defect, inasnuich as it dc^prives the 

 ])art of powertul attachments, and such horses are said to 

 hv IhkIIi/ loinrd. The strength of the loins dc^pends on the 

 length of the transverse processes of the lund)ar vertchr;e, 

 which should be long, that there ma\ he an extensive 

 surface for the attachment of the musck's of tlu> hack : the 

 nuiscles tlRMuselvcs should also be powerful on eacdi side, 



