EXTERNAL CONFORMATION OF THE HORSE. 23 



their conquests, extended the general use of the horse, and 

 appear to have applied themselves to its improvement. 



EXTERNAL CONFORMATION OE THE HORSE. 



The head is one of the first parts of the horse that will 

 convey to judges the quality of the breed. Nothing of beau- 

 ty can surpass the prominent outlines of the head of the high- 

 mettled blood horse, which is small, lean, and angular ; the 

 forehead proportionally broad ; the ears small and pointed ; 

 the eyes full and prominent ; the lips deep, firm, by no means 

 hanging loose ; the nostrils open and wide ; and the mouth 

 not too small. 



The neck should rise from the chest with a moderate 

 curve, and be neither too long nor too short ; horses with a 

 short, thick neck possess great strength, but are seldom 

 noted for speed. From the top of the neck rises the mane, 

 which nature appears to have added as an ornament and 

 beauty to this noble animal. The shoulders should run in a 

 slanting direction forward from the withers to the shoulder 

 points, and should be muscular, but not heavy, as they are 

 particularly essential to the movements of the horse. Be- 

 tween the points of the shoulder lies the chest, which should 

 be moderately expansive and prominent, in order to allow the 

 lungs to have a free action. 



The trunk, from the ribs nearest the chest, should be wide 

 towards the back, and generally deepened, in order to give 

 the form which is termed deep in the girths ; and as the ribs 

 decrease in size, they ought to be more circular, which gives 

 the belly a round appearance, and is more esteemed, not only 

 for the beauty, but because it is accounted more healthy. 

 The loins cannot be too broad and full, especially when 

 strength is required ; they should be more rounded and l'ong ; 

 the tail should form a graceful curve with the loins. The 

 fore legs are straight, gradually approaching each other as 



