i o The Compleat Horfeman : ot^ 



Is very difficult to cure. They fhould alfo be leani 

 and not too flefhy, for then they will be much more 

 fubjedto galling. 



Of the Breaft or Counter. 



A large and full Breast or Counter is always efteem- " 

 ed in light or fmall-fiz'd Horfes ^ but in Dutch Hor- 

 des they are commonly too large, which makes them 

 heavy. In Horfes for draught, large and broad 

 Counters do very well, for they draw with the 

 more eafe, and the Harnefs galls them lefs : But 

 then it gives them the perfect quality of a Cart- 

 Horfe, who the more he is tied to the Ground, and 

 the bigger, the better he is. 



Of the Shoulders. 



The Shoulders fhould be fharp and narrow at the 

 Withers, of a middle fize, fiat, and but little Flefh 

 upon them *, becaufe a Horfe charged with Shoul- 

 ders, can never be agreeable to the Rider ; for he 

 will not only be heavy on the Hand and weary 

 iboner, but trip and (tumble every Minute, efpe- 

 cially if with fuch large Shoulders he have a thick 

 and big Neck. The Shoulders of a well-fhap'd 

 Horfe are compar'd to thofe of a Hare, and the 

 diftance between them fhould be little more than 

 half the breadth of his Hinder-Quarters. 



But as fome Saddle-Horfes are too large in the 

 Shoulders, fo others are too finall, that is, when 

 their Brealts are fo narrow that their Fore-Thighs, 

 almoft touch •, fuch Horfes are worth very little, 

 becaufe they have a weak Fore-hand, and by crof- 

 iing their Legs are apt to Cut ; and in Galloping 

 carry their Legs fo confufedly, that they are fubjeft 

 to fall. Better too much Shoulders than this. 



A Horfe of a middle fize fhould have about half 

 a Foot, or five Inches diftance between his Fore- 

 Thighs \ and when he is (tanding (traightupon his 



Lftnbs, 



