HANDBOOK OF THE TURF. 51 



an eminent veterinary surgeon of Paris, France. In preparing 

 the foot for the shoe and sole, frog and bars are left absolutely 

 untouched, and a groove is cut, or counter-sunk into the wall, 

 not high enough to reach above the sole level, and less than the 

 thickness of the wall in depth. Into this narrow groove the 

 shoe or tip is sunk and nailed by from four to six conical- 

 headed nails, the heads of which are counter-sunk in the shoe. 

 By this system of shoeing the frog, bars, and a jvn-tion of the 

 sole come to the ground the same as if the foot were uiishod, 

 and all participate in weight-bearing. 



Cliarmed Circle. The 2:30 class of trotters. To obtain 

 this record is said to get "within the charmed circle." 



Chaser. [Eng.] A steeple-chase runner. He must be a 

 thoroughbred ; sound in wind and limb ; of a generous, gamy 

 disposition ; well schooled, and well trained. He should possess 

 good sloping shoulders ; not overloaded, but with plenty of 

 liberty when he moves. A horse with bad shoulders may be 

 able to gallop up hill, but he cannot gallop down hill if defec- 

 tive in this respect. His propelling power behind must be 

 great. He must have a powerful back and loins, with strong 

 quarters ; muscular, sound thighs, plenty of length from the 

 hip to the hock ; good ribs ; deep through the heart, compact, 

 and not too long in the back. 



Check-rein; Bearing-rein. A short rein fastened 

 from the bit of a headstall or bridle to the saddle of the har- 

 ness to keep the horse's head in a particular line. 



Very few horses require to be checked alike.— Horse Portraiture, Joseph 

 Cairn Simpson. 



Probably, if those who have to do with the harnessing of horses were 

 better acquainted with the admirable mechanical apparatus for 

 liolding up tl\e head in a natural and unstrained position, they 

 would think it less necessary to supplement the cervical ligament 

 by an external contrivance for effecting the same object; which, 

 however, not being elastic, never allows the head, even momenta- 

 rily, to be altered in position; Avhicli is generally fixed so tightly 

 as to interfere greatly with the natural graceful curve of the neck, 

 one of the horse's chief beauties ; and which, being attached at one 

 end through the tender corners of the mouth, must, if short enough 

 to effect the ob.iect for which it is used, be a continual source of 

 pain or irritation to the animal. — The Horse, William Henry 

 Flower, C. B. 



Cheekpieces. Those parts of the bridle which connect 

 the crownpiece with the bit. 



Chest. The cavity which occupies nearly the third part 

 of the trunk, in which the lungs and heart of the horse are 

 situated. It is divided from the abdomen by the diaphragm. 



Chestnuts; Castors; Kerhs. Horny growths above 

 and on the inside of the knees in the front legs, and on the 

 level of the hock in the hind legs. M. Chauveau says they are 



