202 HOESE POETEAITUEE. 



want you to see her move both ways of the track, and how 

 she changes her feet when she gets round the curve, and 

 has straight work before her. 



PKECEPTOR. She has a singular movement indeed. Part 

 of the time her gait could not be bettered, which is espe- 

 cially the case when she trots fast down the stretch. She 

 has more speed than I looked for, and showed at least a 

 thirty-five gait. We must discover the cause why she 

 does not keep that stroke up, and when once found, can 

 devise some remedy. She has not cut herself anywhere, 

 and we cannot have that guide to direct us, though, in all 

 probability, fear of doing so is what induces her to change. 

 If all your thoroughbreds had such knee-action as she 

 has, you might well look for them to make trotters. 

 Perfection of form in a horse is rarely to be found ; and 

 we often hear the remark made, "I do not care how he 

 looks, if he can only go fast enough." A few crooked, 

 ill-shaped brutes go fast, though very seldom it is that 

 they both can go and stay. This mare exemplifies the 

 necessity there is for shape as well as blood. Her fore- 

 hand is superb; nor do I see a place you could change her 

 configuration, till you come back to her loin. Hence, the 

 action of her fore legs and the carriage of her head, is 

 admirable. The ragged hip and sloping quarters, though 

 offensive to the eye, are not detrimental to speed. She is 

 wide across the stifles, and they are low enough to insure 

 a free motion of the joint. The hock is wide and strong, 

 and the muscles of the thigh and gaskin are all that could 

 be desired. The hocks, however, have a wrong set ; they 

 stand too close together, while the feet are thrown quite 

 a distance apart, the toes very much turned out. The 

 consequence is, that, when going around a turn, she cannot 

 avoid hitting herself with the fore foot. To remedy this, 

 she throws her quarters around, placing the off hind foot 

 between the front ones, and loses the length of stride she 



