SIZE. 95 



the buttocks close together, and the fundament 

 small, and somewhat resembling the front or eye of 

 the pippin apple. The thighs should be muscular 

 and long, rather inclining inwards, with large lean 

 hocks, the points appearing to stand somewhat be- 

 hind the bod}^ which will bring the lower part of 

 the hind-leg, or shank, under it. The shank, fet- 

 lock, and pastern of the hinder-leg, should exactly 

 resemble those of the fore-leg, as also should the 

 foot. The legs should appear short, from the great 

 depth of chest, and well-proportioned substance of 

 the body, or middle-piece. 



The stature of the horse is no more absolutely 

 fixed than that of the human body, but a medium 

 height is considered as best for a hunter, say fif- 

 teen hands, two or three inches. For one good 

 horse over this height, there are a hundred under 

 it. In fact, there are, in the operations of na- 

 ture as well as of art, limits which they cannot sur- 

 pass in magnitude, and it is known that no very 

 large animal has strength in proportion to its size. 

 That the horse has not, the pony affords proof, if 

 any other were wanting. Even the heaviest weights 

 find horses about the height we have fixed upon 

 best calculated to carry them. There have been 

 many extraordinary instances of horses, little more 

 than fourteen hands high, being equal to the speed 

 of hounds over the strongest counties in England, 

 for example, Mr. William Coke's " Pony," as he 

 was called, many years celebrated in Leicestershire ; 

 but they are not pleasant to ride, by reason of the 



