CHOICE OF THE HORSE. 905 



well-trained horse, that a stranger has ridden him even for a short 

 while ; much worse will be the results should he be used for a different 

 service. 



For enthusiastic horsemen the " double-purpose" horse is therefore 

 a myth ; they will not hear of him. But real horsemen are not the 

 only people who employ the saddle-horse. The majority of riders 

 have a very limited knowledge of horsemanship, and many are satis- 

 fied with the merest inkling. Provided that the horse which they 

 hitch to their carriage to-day will on the next day allow himself to be 

 mounted, walked, trotted, and galloped, if need be, and will turn to 

 the right or the left, this is sufficient for them ; they ask nothing 

 more. Those are the people who seek, purchase, and utilize the 

 " double-purpose" horse ; nor is the latter as common nowadays as it 

 was formerly. 



The general form of this horse is that of the saddle-horse with vari- 

 ations in height, weight, bulk, and breeding, according to the case. A 

 saddle-horse, if he be not vicious, may always be driven to a vehicle 

 adapted to his conformation, whilst it is not correct to say that a driving- 

 horse or a light-draught horse will be sure to be suitable' for the saddle. 

 Some special defect might greatly detract from his value for the latter 

 service, while it might be of no consequence in the case of the former. 



Still, if we wish to choose a subject partaking of the type of 

 saddle-horses, we must not be too exacting upon this point. And in 

 truth it would be out of the question to seek the perfection of the 

 type in him, since it is known that, from the very character of the 

 proposed service, the individual chosen will never be perfect. One 

 must be contented, therefore, with a short body, not plump, although 

 rather ample, a head somewhat large, a shorter neck, a withers less 

 prominent, a croup somewhat oblique ; but the upper part of the body 

 should be regular and well supported ; the members should be strong 

 and well poised, even though they lack fineness ; there should be a cer- 

 tain distingue look in the general appearance ; the actions should be 

 free and easy ; there should be more endurance than speed and more 

 firmness of the members than brilliancy. 



Large coach-horses and heavy-draught horses are the only ones 

 that cannot be mounted : the first because they are almost always too 

 heavy and too long, the second because of their weight and their abso- 

 lute lack of breeding. All other horses, after a short training, can be 

 used either under the saddle or in harness. 



