CONFORMATION AND ACTION 27 



ciently bent to prevent the leg from swinging stiffly- 

 like a pendulum. 



Dealers resort to many different devices in order to 

 produce action artificially, such as shoeing the horse 

 heavily, etc. The prospective purchaser should demand 

 to see the animal walked, jogged slowly and quiet- 

 ly with a loose head. He should also stand squarely 

 in front of the animal and watch him as he trots toward 

 him and away from him. From the front he will be 

 best able to observe if a horse dishes or " paddles," 

 i. e., throws his forefeet out to the side instead of 

 placing them squarely down in front of him. From 

 the rear the purchaser can readily see the action of 

 the hind legs. These should pass about two to four 

 inches clear of each other, for if they are closer than 

 this, the horse will be liable to " interfere" or "brush," 

 and if further apart he will be sure to straddle in his 

 gait. In other words, viewed from the front the 

 animal's fore legs should, at a trot, eclipse the hind 

 legs, and from the rear the hind legs obscure the fore. 



At a canter or gallop the horse must bring his hind 

 legs well under his body, and his feet should move 

 low to the ground. The reverse of this is called 

 "climbing," and a horse with such a canter is usually 

 deficient in speed. 



After the prospective purchaser has seen a horse 

 led by the head at a walk and trot, and then ridden at 

 the trot, canter, and gallop, he should mount the animal 

 and ride him about to ascertain if his gaits are com- 

 fortable, and if they suit. What might be comforta- 

 ble for one person would be very uncomfortable for 

 another. 



A horse with a poor carriage and mediocre gaits can, 

 undoubtedly, be gradually improved by good riding 



