Conforma- 

 tion 



2 RIDING TO HOUNDS 



sizes, but the characteristics which should 

 be looked for are a bony structure and 

 arrangement of muscles adapted for en- 

 durance and jumping. More specifically 

 a hunter should have a sloping shoulder, 

 high withers, a lean and clean neck and 

 a head properly set on. He should be 

 "light in front". Round, hard feet below 

 short cannons are a great advantage and 

 depth of girth is important, as indicating 

 good heart room. The back should be of 

 a type to keep the saddle well behind the 

 withers, leaving little space between it and 

 the rump. 

 Importance The value of a sloping shoulder is two- 

 ?? ^^^P*°^ fold ; it enables a horse to raise his fore- 

 legs safely when "taking off" and absorbs 

 the shock of his weight on landing. A 

 horse is propelled solely by his hindquar- 

 ters, so that in jumping the function of 

 his hindlegs is to drive him into the air, 

 while all that is required of his forelegs is 

 that they should be well tucked up in pass- 

 ing the obstacle, and straight and sound to 

 land upon. By far the most important 



Shoulders 



