THE TIBIA. Ill 



up towards his kiclnejs, and the hock towards his tail. 

 You ^TiU then be able to judge of the extent of pitch 

 he will get when these parts are all brought suddenly- 

 back, like the spring of a bow, into their natural posi- 

 tion. If the hauuch-bone and the two thigh-bones are 

 all long, and properly placed, thev will form such angles 

 as will give a crooked appearance to this part of the 

 quarter. This, so far from being a defect, is a matter 

 of great advantage, inasmuch as it places the hind-foot 

 in a favom-able position for bearing the weight it is 

 obliged to sustain ; whilst, at the same time, a great 

 leverage power is preserved. A horse in whom the 

 outline of these bones is straight, will not possess speed, 

 nor yet have the power of getting his hind-feet suffi- 

 ciently far forwards under his body ; in short, the horse 

 should be fonned here very much after the model of 

 that most beautiful creature, the greyhound. I quite 

 agree with the celebrated Ximi-od, who says, " You 

 may as well expect an ass to play the fiddle, as a horse 

 to carry his rider pleasantly, unless he have good 

 lengthy shoulders and well-bent hinder-legs. A fi-iend 

 of mine, who is become fastidious in his judgment, goes 

 so far as to say, that no horse can have a good mouth 

 with straight hinder-legs. He is so far coiTect, inas- 

 much as no horse with straight hinder-legs can pull to- 

 gether ; therefore neither his head nor his heels can be 

 where they ought to be, and consequently he can never 

 be fit to carry a gentleman." 



