XC INTRODUCTION. 



and hackney, in which strength and endurance of long fatigue 

 are regarded as essential properties, a short back, like short 

 limbs, indicates that the animal is suited to our purposes. 

 But a horse whose back is short, is less easy in its paces, 

 shorter in its step, and slower in its motions, than one which 

 has a longer back ; and when we regard speed, a certain 

 length of back is necessary to suit the longer stride which 

 rapid progression demands. The property of shortness of 

 back, therefore, is disregarded in the race-horse ; but we 

 may say that a medium length of back, tending to the short, 

 is to be desired in horses where a reasonable degree of speed 

 is to be combined with strength, that is, in all ordinary 

 horses employed for the saddle, not excepting the hunter, 

 and even, though in a less degree, in the horse employed in 

 the lighter vehicles in harness. In a horse whose back is 

 short, the last of the ribs is brought nearer to the pelvis. 

 Such a horse is said to be " well-ribbed home," and this 

 point is looked to by jockeys, as characteristic of hardiness 

 and good constitution. 



The back of the horse sometimes declines considerably 

 from the withers, forming a concavity or hollow. This form 

 produces easy motion of the rider, but it is not consistent 

 with strength and the best position of the parts in other re- 

 spects. Even when we look for a certain length of back, as 

 in the horse designed for rapid motion, we should see that it 

 is straight as an indication of strength. In certain cases, 

 the back is convex, and not hollow. A horse thus formed is 

 said to be " roach-backed ;" but when this conformation 

 exists, the horse is uneasy in all its motions, awkward in his 

 paces, slow, and unapt to turn, and bend himself to the move- 

 ments which we seek to communicate by training. 



The lumbar portion of the back should be broad, which is 

 the result of the lateral extension of the transverse pro- 

 cesses of the lumbar vertebra?. This conformation indicates, 

 in all cases, strength, is not inconsistent with speed, but con- 



