A Hunter and War Horse. 1 8 7 



After instancing the description of cliest found in 

 cobs and some of our saddle-horses as being round 

 enough, and therefore valued, as they seldom lose their 

 condition, or tire if allowed to go their own pace — and 

 that not altogether a slow one — Youatt observes very 

 truly, if examined the chest will be found to be between 

 the circle and ellipse, thus allowing of expansion, while 

 retaining capacity. He next proceeds to describe the 

 chest more particularly adapted to rapid progression 

 combined with strength. The broad deep chest possess- 

 ing ' considerable capacity in a quiescent state, and the 

 power of increasing that capacity when the animal 

 requires it ' — this is the chest required by the race- 

 horse, the hunter, and the cavalry horse. 



* There must be,' says Youatt, ' the broad chest for 

 the production of muscles and sinews, and the deep 

 chest, to give capacity or power of furnishing arterial 

 blood equal to the most rapid exhaustion of vitality.' 

 'This form of chest,' he further states, 'is consistent 

 with lightness, or at least with all the lightness that can 

 be rationally required. The broad-chested horse, or 

 he that, with moderate depth at the girth, swells and 

 barrels out immediately behind the elbow, may have as 

 light a fore-hand and as elevated a wither as the horse 

 with the narrowest chest ; but the animal with the 

 barrel approaching too near to rotundity is invariably 

 heavy about the shoulders, and low in the shoulders.' 

 Although this is sufficiently plain to all who thoroughly 

 know the horse, it may require a little explanation to 

 others who may not be so well initiated. The round 



