28 THE lady's horse. 



the knees broad, the hocks ^'(laterally) wide ; the legs 

 flat and sinewy; the pasterns rather long; and the hoofs 

 large, and nearly round. 



A rough, or, what is technically termed, a "staring" 

 coat, considerably deteriorates the appearance of a 

 horse, however perfect in other conditions. Its surface, 

 on a well-bred, healthy, and properly groomed animal, 

 is not only smooth, but brilHantly polished. The mane, 

 if too long and thick, will interfere with that deUcate 

 management of the reins so desirable to a lady on horse- 

 back ; and the tail, if of immoderate length, will, by the 

 animal's whisking it towards his sides, prove inconve- 

 nient, to the fair rider, at all times ; but, especially so, 

 in dirty weather. Neither of these appendages, how- 

 ever, on the other hand, should be ungracefully brief 

 or scanty. 



Of all colours presented by the horse, none is so 

 rich, and, at the same time, so elegant and chaste, as a 

 bright bay; provided the mane, tail, and lower parts of 

 the legs, be black. A small white star on the forehead, 

 and a white speck on one of the heels, are to be consi- 

 dered, rather, as beauties, than defects : but much white, 

 either on the face or legs, whatever be the general hue, 

 is quite the reverse of desirable. After bright bay, 

 chestnut, perhaps, deserves to rank next in the scale of 

 taste ; provided it be not, as is very frequently the case, 

 accompanied with white legs. Some of the various 

 shades of grey, however, are, in the opinion of many, 



