242 TnE horse-keeper's guide. 



difTirnlty to moet witli a worked hack ji a peifectly sound 

 stale, however young lie may be. 



1M)e quahties of a good hack are so numerous as to ro 

 quue great judgment to look for them. J:£e should not 

 be under five years old. He must have a good mouth, nnJ 

 good eyes, not given to start, gentle in his temper, and qui 

 et to ride on all occasions. He should be square set, with- 

 out being clumsy ; and with this form, the more breeding 

 he shews, short of full blood, the better. Hcigiitis not so 

 essential as in the hunter ; but if required for quick work, 

 he should be well-bred, and a well-bred horse is rarely able 

 to carry weight if he stand under fifteen hands and one inch, 

 though a half-bred will often carry gi-eat weight under that 

 height. 



lie must have lengthy slanting shoulders, good fore legs, 

 as well as good hind ones, and perfect feet to be safe on 

 his legs. Indeed we look with as much anxiety to the fore 

 parts of a hackney, as, in a hunter oi' racer, we do to their 

 hind. The fore legs must be perfect throughout, they 

 should be quite straight, and stand well from under him, 

 his elbow square v/ith his body, the bones beneath the knee 

 short, deep, and flat, and the tendon not lied in, but as 

 large under the knee as above the fetlock; his pasterns 

 short, but oblique or slanting ; his action should be easy 

 and safe. 



Safety in action depends upon the manner in which the 

 foot is placed on the ground. It should come down fiat, 

 heel and toe at once ; if the toe digs into the ground before 

 the bearing is complete, he is a stumbler, and he will be 

 found to wear away the shoe at the toe. 



For strength, his back should be straight, and shoit ; hol- 

 low backed bones, though easy to ride, will not carry 

 weight; and his hinder legs should be well bentnndej- him, 

 if they are not in their proper place, it is impossible to 

 have proper action. 



A good hackney is a hunter in miniature, and should, 

 like him, possess different degrees of blood, according to 

 the work required of him ; he who possesses one, should 

 not be tempted to part with him for a trifle. 



In horses used for the purpf>ses of light and quick 

 drauG^ht, the principal points are, I hat he have power and 

 breeding equal to the nature of I he work required ; sub- 

 stance well placed ; a deep, well j)roportioned body, rising 



