36o CONDITION AND GOOD LOOKS. 



of view, if, for example, we contrast a photograph of 

 a horse having the ears pricked forward (Fig. 305), with 

 another one of the same animal, taken a moment after- 

 wards, but having the ears in their usual position 

 (Fig. 304). The former may look handsome, and the latter 

 plain ; although the two may be absolutely identical in 

 every particular, except in that of the ears. The " hne 

 of beauty " (alternate convexity and concavity ; or vice 

 versa) is well exemplified from the tip of the off ear 

 to the top of the croup, in Fig. 309 ; in which there is, 

 however, a too sudden depression of the quarter. The 

 outlines of the tail are very graceful in Fig. 593. The 

 curves from tip of ear to end of tail are also good in Fig. 

 308, except that the line of the crest might be slightly 

 more convex. For beautiful curves of the upper line 

 of the body, from tip of nose to tail, see Figs. 282, 413, 

 414, 415, 416, 420, and 593. One reason (which possibly 

 might escape the notice of a casual observer) why the 

 pictures or photographs of some horses (Figs. 277, 487, 

 and 593) look well, is that the curves of the under part 

 of the body — from muzzle, lower lip, along lower jaw, 

 under throat, down neck, in front of chest, along the belly, 

 under groin, and carried in front of both hind legs — are very 

 graceful. In all cases, oblique shoulders, sloping pasterns, 

 long and well-arched back ribs, muscular loins, more or less 

 horizontal pelvis, tail set high up, straight-dropped hind leg, 

 will be beauties. 



As heavy cart-horses are often somewhat " back at the 

 knees " (p. 280), the presence of a good supply of fine hair 

 behind the back tendons, increasing in amount from the 

 knee to the fetlock, will balance this concavity. Dock- 

 ing, being a mutilation of sensitive and useful structures, 

 does not improve the appearance of a horse, except when 

 a deformity of the tail renders this operation necessary. 

 The removal of the forelock, when hogging the mane, is 

 always an eyesore. Whenever good looks are studied, 

 the mane should not be hogged, if the animal has a light 



