POINTS TO BE KEGARDED. 99 



their action is opt to be too straiglit and near the ground. 

 When, however, they do take to trotting, they make the 

 best trotters in the world ; as thev invariably, and they 

 only, make the best gallopers. 



The points of the physical structure of a horse on which 

 the most, indeed the whole of his utility depends, are his 

 legs. AYithout his locomoters, all the rest, however beau- 

 tiful it may be, is nothing worth. Therefore, to these we 

 look the first. The fore shoulder should be long, obliquely 

 set, with a considerable slope, high in the withers and their 

 above. The upper arm should be very long and muscu- 

 lar ; the knee broad, flat and bony ; the shank or cannon 

 bone, as short as may be, flat, not round, with clean, firm 

 sinews; the pastern joints moderately long and oblique, 

 but not too much so, as the excess produces springyness 

 and weakness ; the hoofs firm, erect, or deep, as opposed 

 to flat ; and the feet generally large and round. In the 

 hind legs, the quarters should be large, powerful, broad, 

 Avhen looked at in profile, and square and solid from be- 

 hind. The hams should be sickle-shaped, not straight, 

 and well let down, so as to bring the houghs well toward 

 the ground. The houghs should be large and bony, 

 straight, not angular or convexly curved in their posterior 

 outlines ; the shanks corresponding to the cannon bones, 

 short and flat ; and the hind feet similar in form, to the 

 front. The back should be short above, from the point 

 of the withers and shoulder-blade, which ought to run 

 well back to the croup. The barrel should be round, and 

 for a horse in which strength and quickness are looked to 

 more than great speed and stride, closely ribbed up. A 

 horse can scarcely be too deep from the top of his shoul- 

 der to the intersection of his fore leg — which is called the 

 heart-place — or too wide in the chest, as room in these 

 parts gives free play to the most important vitals. The 



