THE HORSE 17 



or to jump, must have powerful muscles to enable 

 him to do his work efficiently, and one should al- 

 ways look for plenty of muscular development on 

 the croup and down the quarters. Breadth be- 

 tween the points of the hip bones is also desirable 

 (Plate I. Fig. 5). It must always be remembered 

 in this connection, however, that the hind quarters 

 must be in proportion to the fore parts, and that a 

 horse should not be unduly developed in one part. 

 Droopmg hind quarters are unobjectionable though 

 unsightly, in fact, this conformation is valued in 

 Irish hunters. On the score of appearance, no 

 doubt, a tail set on high and carried in a graceful 

 curve well away from the body is to be preferred, 

 although this shape has no mechanical advantage. 



Fore ai^d Hii^d Legs 

 One of the most important parts of equine con- 

 formation is the shape of the legs. Without 

 good legs a horse will be quite unable to stand 

 work, and, next to the feet, more attention should 

 be paid to their shape and make than to any other 

 part of the animal. The fore legs have chiefly to 

 support weight ; the hind legs to propel the body. 

 jN'aturally, then, one must look for powerful 

 muscles and tendons and big bones to vrhich they 



