20 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



a clever eye to detect quickly how much is flesh and 

 how much actual conformation of the animal's ribs. 



The loins of a horse should be well developed, and 

 the thighs should be deep and full. While there must 

 be sufficient space between the thighs to prevent fric- 

 tion, a horse whose thighs lack muscular development, 

 and who is "split up behind," is apt to be weak in 

 these parts. When seen from the back the thighs 

 should appear gradually to merge, "V "-shaped, into 

 the muscles immediately above the hocks — termed 

 "second thighs." 



From a point of beauty the hips should be rounded 

 and evenly turned, and the muscles, no matter how 

 powerful they may be, should be smoothly and evenly 

 laid on. Ragged hips are unsightly but are not neces- 

 sarily a detriment. A dropped "hip," or one in which 

 the muscles have shrunk, denotes a weakness and is 

 to be avoided. 



The crupper line of a well-bred horse is straight, as 

 a rule; but excessively sloping rumps (goose rumps, or 

 sometimes called jumping-rumps), although unsightly, 

 often denote great power and jumping ability. 



Of course it is of great importance that proportion 

 exists between the hind and fore quarters of a horse, 

 for if there is too great propelling power behind and 

 too little strength in front the horse will not be well- 

 balanced. Looking at the body as a whole it should 

 be evenly developed, the entire "top" line of the back, 

 from withers to croup, should be straight without any 

 undue angularities, and the entire lower line of the 

 belly be more or less horizontal and neither hang down 

 unduly nor yet "be tucked up" at the waist. 



A horse should stand squarely on all four legs, as any 

 divergence from the perpendicular places undue strain 



