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abnormal height at the withers, it does not follow 

 that they are big" and up to carrying weight. Pro- 

 bably a more scientific method of measurement would 

 be to take the height at the middle of the back just 

 where the centre of the saddle rides, as this is really 

 the exact region at which to determine the height of 

 a horse, so far at least as the rider is concerned. 



CERTIFICATES OF SOUNDNESS. 



Although it may appear drastic, the writer is of 

 opinion that horses which cannot procure a veterinary 

 surgeon's certificate of soundness should not be al- 

 lowed to compete at shows. Opinions differ about 

 splints, sidebones, etc., still there is a fairly-established 

 degree standard which can generally be employed 

 in order to determine soundness. On nice points 

 comparatively little harm would be done were such 

 animals given the benefit of the doubt, because, 

 happily, they only form a small minority. If sound- 

 ness be the first essential in horses, it ought also to 

 be the primary requirement with show societies. 

 With only sound horses competing for showyard 

 honours, the work of judges would be simplified, 

 the public would see the best horses competing that 

 Britain can produce, and probably fewer unsound 

 horses would be bred in future. 



SHOW TICKETS AND CATALOGUE NUMBERS. 



The difference in colour of prize tickets at differ- 

 ent shows, and the indiscriminate manner in which 



