HORSES. 199 



The business horse, that is, the horse wliich is best, on the 

 whole, for all kinds of work, most in demand by the great 

 majority of our people, and of course the one for which 

 premiums are offered by this society, should possess a good 

 share of the following points and characteristics, the more the 

 better, viz. : he should be compact, to insure endurance and 

 hardiness of constitution. Youatt says, " as much strength as 

 possible in a little space." Legs short ; fore-legs and hind-legs 

 about equal in length ; the withers sharp, thin, and a trifle 

 higher than the hips ; the fore-legs well spread at the chest, to 

 give room for the development of the vital organs, perpendicu- 

 lar and straight, knees wide and flat, clean and compact, from 

 knee to fetlock short, free from meat, the back cords large, 

 standing out well from the bone ; viewed from the front, the 

 legs should be thin, from the side, wide and sinewy ; the fetlock 

 rather wide, and thicker in front than behind ; pasterns short, 

 neither upright nor very sloping. Mr. Hinds, quoted by Lins- 

 ley, says, " horses having long and sloping pasterns soon tire." 

 The hoof should be nearly round, open, at the heel, smooth 

 and hard. The shoulders long and oblique, thin and flat at 

 the withers ; hips long and wide ; croup a little sloping ; the 

 quarters full ; wide at the stifle ; the muscles of the thigh 

 plump and full well down to the hock. The hock should be 

 wide, short, free from lumps, the point long. Below the hock 

 the legs should descend perpendicularly, the hocks no nearer 

 together than the fetlocks. Neck should be of moderate 

 length, tapering towards the head, slightly crowning ; on such 

 shaped necks the head is almost always well placed. The head 

 should be small, lean and tapering rapidly from the jowls to 

 the muzzle ; the forehead should be long and broad, muzzle 

 thin, lips small and firm, nostrils large and prominent. The 

 eyes wide apart, large and prominent, with a pleasant expres- 

 sion, the lids well open when at rest ; thejcontrary denotes dull- 

 ness. Ears small, thin, tapering and upright, set well apart. 

 The back short, broad and uearly straight, body deep at 

 the shoulder, the barrel round, back and hips well joined, 

 having no depression just forward of the hips, loins wide and 

 muscular, well ribbed up. The tail should be full, heavy, and 

 carried well up. He should be between fourteen and a half 

 and fifteen and a half hands high, rather under than over, 



