EXTERNAL ANATOMY. 123 



not correspond with the other, or the centre of the frog 

 present the appearance of crumbling to pieces, it proves 

 that disease has been the cause. The soles of the feet 

 to be rather hollow or concave, very firm upon pressure, 

 and free from brittleness. The presence of corns renders 

 the horse unsound. 



The chest of the horse should be very deep, with 

 deep heart-ribs, so that the lungs and heart may have 

 ample room to expand. 



The horse is now led from the stable, and placed for 

 a thorough examination in the yard. The colour, 

 height, countenance, carriage, and the general figure 

 of the horse are mere matters of taste, therefore need 

 not be expatiated upon. 



The arm and foreleg should be quite straight with 

 the knee. Any deviation from the right line proves a 

 palpable weakness of the knees, and may be either the 

 result of hard work or hereditary. The back to be 

 moderately long, straight, and well ribbed up with a 

 good breadth across the loins. The short back will 

 have greater endurance, and the long back will possess 

 greater speed. The flat-sided horse generally has im- 

 perfect powers of digestion, therefore unfitted to endure 

 fatigue, and incapable of recovering speedily from great 



