4:30 THE HORSE. 



in this object, and that it is the part upon which speed mainly 

 depends, and in which it may be said to reside. This is, to some 

 extent, true, because there can be no doubt that with a loaded 

 shoulder high speed is impracticable ; for however powerfully 

 the body may be propelled, yet when the fore-quarter touclies 

 the ground it does not bound oft' again as smartly as it ought to 

 do, and the pace is consequently slow. This position may be 

 illustrated by an experiment with two balls, one of india-rubber, 

 and the other of corresponding size and weight, nuide of any 

 inelastic material, such as M'ax. Now suppose these two balls 

 propelled witli equal power along a piece of fine turf at sncli an 

 angle as to strike its surface, and rebound again and again — the 

 elastic ball would at first only equal the other in speed, but it 

 would soon outstrip it, because its elasticity would carry on the 

 original propelling power, while the dull, inelastic nature of the 

 wax-ball M'ould speedily cause it to adhere to its mother earth. 

 Just so with the elastic shoulder — it receives the resistance of 

 the earth, but reacts upon it, and loses very little of tlie power 

 given by tlie stroke of the hind-quarter, which, nevertheless, 

 must be strong and quick, or else there is nothing for the 

 shoulder to receive and ti-ansmit. For the full action of the 

 hind-quarters, two things are necessary ; viz., first, length 

 and volume of muscle ; and, secondly, length of leverage upon 

 which that muscle may act. Hence all the bones comprising 

 the hind-quarter should be long, but the comparative length 

 must vary a good deal, in order that the parts upon which the 

 muscles lie may be long, rather than those connected with the 

 tendons, which are mere ropes, and have no propelling power 

 residing in them, but only transmit that which tliey derive from 

 the muscles themselves. Thus, the hips should be long and 

 wide, and the two upper divisions of the limb — viz., the stifle 

 and lower thigh — should be long, strong, and full}' developed. 

 By this formation the stifle-joint is brought well forward, and 

 there is a considerable angle between these two divisions. The 

 hock should be bony and strong, free from gum or spavin, and 

 the point long, and so set on as to be free from weakness at the 

 situation of curb. In examining the hind-quarter to judge of 

 its muscular development, the horse should not be looked at 

 sideways, but his tail should be raised, and it should be ascer- 



