152 DRmNG AS I FOUND IT. 



great care sliould be taken to have some responsi- 

 ble person wlio tliorouglily understands the points 

 and confonnation that go to make a coach ,horse, 

 tQ select and buy them. Yom must not expect 

 that every horseman understands what consti- 

 tutes a horse suitable for a coach. It must be borne 

 in mind that the work is sharp and hard while it lasts, 

 necessitating speed, bone and stamina. They should 

 not vary much in size, as it is necessary to change over 

 alternately, as they work much l^etter by doing so and 

 are not so likely to get tricky. 



Color is a secondary consideration in a coach horse, 

 alwaj^s bear in mind the old maxim "a good horse 

 cannot be a bad color." They should not be above 16 

 hands nor under 15 hands 3 inches, with good, round, 

 smooth hoofs, short pasterns, straight and flat legs, 

 round, lean and bony knees, a long high-reared neck, 

 great towards the breast, which likewise should be large 

 and round; withers skarp and pointed, the back short, 

 even and double chined. The sides and ribs deep, large 

 and beariQg out and close shut at the knuckle bone. 

 The rump round and broad, thighs long and large, with 

 well fashioned bones and those well covered vnth flesh. 

 They should stand primly on their legs, and these 

 placed as legs should be. Lastly, the temper and dis- 

 position should be considered, and tliough there is 



