165 THE HORSE. 



hinder legs more under him in the act of gallopping, and thus more power- 

 fully propel or drive forward the body : but, on the other hand, a long- 

 backed horse will be weak in the back, and easily overweighted. A long 

 spring may be easily bent and broken. The weight of the rider, likewise, 

 placed further from the extremities, will act with mechanical disadvantage 

 upon them, and be more likely to strain them. A short-backed horse may 

 be a good hackney, and be able to carry the heaviest weight, and possess 

 great endurance ; but his paces will not be so easy, nor his speed so great, 

 and he may be apt to overreach himself. 



The comparative advantage of a longer short carcase depends entirely on 

 the use for which the horse is intended. For general purposes the horse 

 with a short carcase is very properly preferred. He will possess health 

 and strength ; for horses of this make aie proverbially hardy. He will 

 have sufficient ease not to fatigue the rider, and speed for every ordinary 

 purpose. Length of back will always be desirable when there is more 

 than usual substance generally, and particularly when the loins are wide, 

 and the muscles of the loins large and swelling. The two requisites, strength 

 and speed, will then probably be united. 



The back should be depressed a little immediately behind the withers ; 

 and then continue in an almost straight line to the loins. This is the form 

 most consistent with beauty and strength. Some horses have a very con- 

 siderable hollow behind the withers. They are said to be saddle-hacked. 

 It seems as if a depression were purposely made for the saddle. Such 

 horses are evidently easy goers, for this curve inward must necessarily in- 

 crease the play of the joints of the back; but in the same proportion they 

 must be weak and liable to sprain. To the general appearance of the 

 horse, this defect is not in any great degree injurious ; for the hollow of 

 the back is uniformly accompanied by a beautifully arched crest. 



A ^ew horses have the curve outward. They are said to be roach- 

 hackedy from the supposed resemblance to the arched back of a roach. 

 This is a very serious defect ; — altogether incompatible with beauty, and 

 materially diminishing the usefulness of the animal. It is almost im- 

 possible to prevent the saddle from being thrown on the shoulders, or 

 the back from being galled ; — the elasticity of the spine is destroyed ; — the 

 rump is badly set on; — the hinder legs are too much under the animal ; — he 

 is continually overreaching himself, and his head is carried awkwardly low. 



THE LOINS. 



The loins are attentively examined by every good horseman. They can 

 scarcely be too broad and muscular. The strength of the back, and the 

 strength of the hinder extremities, v/ill depend materially on this. The 

 breadth of the loins is regulated by the length of the transverse or side 

 processes of that part. The bodies of the bones of the loins are likewise 

 larger than those of the back; and a more dove-tailed kind of union sub- 

 sists between these bones, than between those of the back. Every provi- 

 sion is made for strength here. The union of the back and loins should 

 be carefully remarked. There is sometimes a depression between them : 

 a kind of line is drawn across which shows imperfection in the construction 

 of the spine, and is regarded as an indication of weakness. 



THE WITHERS. 



The spinous or upright processes of the dorsal vertebras, or bones of the 

 back^ above the upper part of the shoulder, are as remarkable for their length 



