8 THE HORSE 



importance when the animal is required for riding 

 purposes, the necessity for their being thus formed 

 is not so great in the case of a harness horse ; in fact, 

 in the case of animals which are expected to draw 

 heavy loads, many hold that a rather upright shoulder 

 fills the collar better than a sloping one, but the 

 possessor of the latter is always the better mover and 

 usually the faster horse. In one respect the Hackney 

 is admitted on all sides to be pre-eminent, his trot- 

 ing action being superior to that of any other variety 

 of horse in the world. A good Hackney uses his 

 shoulders, knees, and fore pasterns to their utmost 

 capacity when set going, whilst, as regards his hind 

 legs, it can only be said that he doubles his hocks 

 well under him and does not leave them behind, as 

 many fair movers in front are inclined to do. A 

 disposition to go rather wide between the hocks is 

 visible in some very fine movers, and especially 

 when they are pressed to go fast, and, therefore, a 

 buyer need not pass by a Hackney that is good in 

 other respects because of this. Finally, it may be 

 said that the majority of Hackneys are marvellously 

 good-tempered, though they are high-couraged horses, 

 and therefore are worthy of the confidence that is 

 reposed upon them by their admirers. 



The Cob 



may be described as being something between the 

 horse and the pony in stature, standing as he does 

 about 14 hands at shoulder, but he is usually a very 

 thick, stocky built animal, his middle-piece being 

 not unlike that of a dray horse in miniature. Of 

 course some cobs are far stouter in their build than 

 others, but plenty of substance is a great desideratum 

 in this class of horse, whose vocation in life it often 

 becomes to carry middle-aged and elderly men of 

 considerable weight upon his back. Strength rather 



