254 THE TRUNK. 



against door-posts, or by lying on a hard surface when he 

 is not suppHed with a sufficiency of bedding, than one of 

 different conformation. The fact of the hips of a horse 

 being flat or ragged does not appear to influence his use- 

 fulness in any way. Among thorough-breds, certain strains 

 of blood have them prominent. Although it might be 

 more correct, from a conformation point of view, to con- 

 sider the points of the hips along with the hind limb ; I 

 have placed them, for convenience' sake, under the present 

 heading. We should bear in mind that the state of a 

 horse's condition has a good deal to say to the shape of 

 his hips ; for we may often see that an animal which had 

 ragged hips when he was thin, has them rounded when 

 fat. 



Flank. — The only thing to remark about this part 

 is that the " hollow of the flank," which is included between 

 the loins, point of the hip and end of the last back rib, 

 should be well filled up and should be as small as possible. 

 If it is hollowed out, it will indicate that the animal is in 

 bad health, out of condition, or of weak constitution. If 

 the extent of the hollow of the flank be small, the animal 

 will be well ribbed-up, a form of conformation which 

 has been discussed on p. 229, et seq. 



Croup. — The upper line of the croup, from the loins 

 to the root of the tail, should remain convex, even when 

 a fairly heavy weight is carried. This convexity, more 

 or less regular, is caused by the prominence of the inner 

 angle of the pelvis ; by the action of the muscles which 

 flex the back ; and by the strength of the ligaments which 

 preserve the stability of this arch. We may note how 

 relaxation of these muscles will affect this state of con- 

 vexity if we pinch the loins of a horse, so as to make him 

 crouch, which he does by the contraction of the muscles 

 that lie on the top of the loins. When he crouches in this 

 manner, the upper line of the croup will tend to become 



