24 THE HORSE 



stumble than those which have rigid, unbending joints. 

 But if the arms, below the shoulder blades, be thick 

 and muscular, they appear stronger and handsomer, as 

 is the case also with a man. The breast also should 

 be broad, as well for beauty as for strength, and 

 because it causes a handsomer action of the forelegs, 

 which do not then interfere, but are carried wide apart. 1 

 "And, again, the neck ought not to be set on, like 

 that of a boar, horizontally from the chest; but, like that 

 of a game cock, should be upright towards the crest, 

 and slack towards the flexure; and the head being long, 

 should have a small and narrow jaw bone, so that the 

 neck shall be in front of the rider and that the eye 

 shall look down at what is before the feet. A horse 

 thus made will be the least likely to run violently away, 

 even if he be very high-spirited, for horses do net 

 attempt to run away by bringing in, but by thrusting 

 out, their heads and necks. It is also very necessary 

 to observe whether the mouth be fine or hard on both 

 sides, or on one or the other. For horses which have 

 not both jaws equally sensitive are likely to be hard- 

 mouthed on one side or the other. And it is better 

 that a horse should have prominent than hollow eyes, 

 for such a one will see to a greater distance. And 

 widely open nostrils are far better for respiration than 

 narrow, and they give the horse a fiercer aspect; for 

 when one stallion is enraged against another, or if he 

 become angry while ridden, he expands his nostrils to 

 their full width. And the loftier the crest, and the 

 smaller the ears, the more horse -like and handsome is 



1 Evidently this does not describe a trotter. 



