36 THE HORSE. 



man who is not a horseman in his own estimation? 

 Who is there among our acquaintances that, if he is not 

 a whip or horseman of the first water, is not considerably 

 above the average? Do you know any one so modest as 

 to allow that he belongs to the second-class? On the 

 contrary, have you not found that, however ignorant 

 they may have been before they had a horse, with 

 their first they have become miraculously invested with 

 all the abilities of Phaeton? Well, then, they have only 

 to state their case to a lawyer, when he replies that it is a 

 capital plea for an action; but actions are expensive and 

 vexatious, and as all the evils above enumerated are to 

 be avoided by a little caution, will it not be better to use it? 



HOCKS. 



The hocks are an important part of the horse; his 

 speed, strength, and capability to perform certain kinds 

 of work depending almost entirely, if not altogether, 

 upon these joints. 



The blood horse cannot be a racer without sufficient 

 leverage in the hocks to give him both speed and strength. 



The hunter must be but a poor leaper without a certain 

 perfection here; and then, in proportion to this desirable 

 state, all other things combining, so will he vary from 

 the best to the worst horse of his description. 



The parade or menage horse, in order to be good and 

 capable of continuing even for a few minutes at the 

 height of parade action, must have these parts quite as 

 strong as any other description of horse. 



The military horse, again, although not having them 

 called into such violent exertion, or so frequently as the 

 three kinds above-mentioned, yet from being set a great 

 deal upon his haunches, and having to halt suddenly, and 

 being heavily weighted, requires much strength here. 



