SIGNS OF CONDITION. 161 



injurious extent. In both, the administration of a 

 purgative is advisable. Although we may not have 

 either complaint developed; still feverishness, " filled" 

 legs, dark-coloured urine, <c., often result from similar 

 causes, when the precaution of giving a horse a dose 

 of physic is not observed before putting him into 

 training. 



Signs of Condition. When a horse is in perfect 

 condition, his coat will be soft and glossy like satin; 

 his eye bright, but tranquil ; his sweat scanty, will dry 

 readily, and will be free from oily matter ; his legs and 

 feet cool ; his muscles hard, prominent, and distinct 

 from each other ; those extending along each side of 

 his spine will be full and massive ; while those over his 

 quarters will swell up to a certain convexity. The ribs 

 will be defined, although covered with a powerful sheet 

 of muscle, which, as well as the muscles that cover the 

 belly, will have become developed by the forced 

 respiration necessitated by fast work. The fact of 

 these muscles being in this condition is manifested by 

 the presence of their raised though irregular border, 

 which runs in a more or less diagonal direction down 

 each side of the abdomen towards the groin. The 

 "quarter mark" division between the biceps rotator 

 tibialis and triceps abductor femoris muscles is well de- 

 fined. The space round the anus should be prominent 

 and filled up ; the thighs so developed that they should 

 meet for a considerable way down. The crest should 

 be full and hard ; and the large caput muscles which 

 lie just above the fore arm, should form a distinct 

 lump. "Who can fail to see in a well-trained race- 

 horse the muscles, standing, as it were, prominently 



M 



