238 THE IIORSr-KEEPER's GUtfiE 



on which a sound judgincnt of liis fitness or unfitness for 

 any u^iven piirj)ose may t)c lormcd. 



To judge of proportion, we must have a knowledge of 

 tlic service for whicli the horse is required. There is one 

 conformation for slow and heavy draught ; a second foi 

 lighter and quicker work ; a third for a hackney ; a fourth, 

 with more speed and ecjual endurance, for a hunter ; while 

 a fifth is wanted for the racer. Each one possessing its 

 own peculiar pre-eminence where properly employed. 



Many purchasers are as incapable of appreciating the 

 general qualities of a horse, and his fitness for a certain pur- 

 pose, as they are of deciding on his soundness or unsound- 

 ness ; and in their purchase, the greater part, if not the 

 whole unceitainty, as to the ultimate result of the transac- 

 tion, arises from the buyer's -.want of judgment, and the ex- 

 pectation he forms of perfection in every quality ; yet 

 there are few subjects on which men are so positive and 

 self-sufficient as this. 



If we have to carry weight and much to do, we desire 

 a short back ; that he be well-ribbed home ; (that is, the 

 I'ibs reaching to within a short distance of the haunch bone,) 

 and that his pasterns be short. 



If speed is required, there must be room for the full ac- 

 tion of the hinder quarters, which are the propelling pow- 

 er ; we then require a long back and oblique scapula and 

 pasterns ; thus, if strength is required, we purchase it at 

 the expense of elasticity ; and elasticity is obtained at the 

 expense of strength. But whatever the services required, 

 whether Action, Safety, or Strength, it is dependant on cer- 

 tain fixed rules. 



Action depends on the length and direction of the vari- 

 ous parts of the bony fabric as opposed to each other. 



Safety \^ connected with the degree of perfection in the 

 form and direction of the limbs, united with a just propor- 

 tion of the length. 



Strength, is the result of muscular contractions on or- 

 gans adapted for motion. Let us now conside the appli- 

 cation. 



In the Race Horse we seek length and elasticity of 

 form, a long and oblique blade bone ; a short shoulder 

 bone ; a long arm-bone ; a short cannon ; long springy pas- 

 tei'ns ) and ample muscular quarters. 



