THE HACKNEY HORSE. 39 



for if a trotter does not get away in front all the beauty of 

 his going is completely lost. Consequently plenty of freedom 

 and liberty about his shoulders is to be regarded as being 

 a sine qua non in the selection of a Hackney, not only on the 

 grounds of the additional grace which such a conformation 

 imparts to his movements, but because, assuming that his 

 pasterns are also good, he is far less likely to knock his feet 

 to pieces against the ground when fairly let go, than he would 

 be if he only lifts his knees up and smashes them down again 

 in an almost perpendicular position. 



A good knee action is of course essential to the success of 

 any horse, and the higher they are raised assuming always 

 that they are straightened again in time to effect that most 

 peculiar poise which many of the best Hackneys show just 

 before their fore-feet reach the ground the more generally 

 the action of the horse will be admired. Exaggerated knee 

 action is usually only obtained at the expense of freedom at 

 the shoulder, and few things are more irritating to witness at 

 a show than a good-looking horse lifting his knees nearly up 

 to his muzzle, and then putting his feet down in almost the 

 identical place from which he raised them. 



Regarding the use that a horse makes of his pasterns when 

 he trots, it may be explained that a short upright joint 

 promotes concussion, and naturally not being so flexible as 

 a long springy one, is not so readily bent back and then 

 straightened when the horse is trotting. The feet in the case 

 of the animal which has good pasterns are in the majority of 

 cases picked up and put down smoothly and levelly, without 

 any of that dishing or throwing from side to side which 

 simply spoils the action of an otherwise fine mover. The 

 pastern joints are, therefore, it will be seen, valuable co- 

 operators with the shoulders in providing the Hackney with 

 the desired front action, and when properly moved by the 

 animal will be found to assist in bringing the feet down with 

 that comparative gentleness which contributes so largely to 

 their remaining in good condition. 



