1 8 XENOPHON ON HORSEMANSHIP. 



only disfiguring, but makes the horse weaker 

 and more unwieldy. The quarters should be 

 broad and full in proportion to the sides and 

 chest; and all these parts, if firm, would be 

 lighter for running, and make your horse a 

 great deal faster. If he has his buttocks well 

 apart under the tail with the line between 

 them broad, he will be sure to spread well 

 behind ; in so doing he will have a stronger 

 and a prouder look, both when gathering 

 himself in '^ and in riding, and all his points 

 will be improved. You may take the case 

 of men to prove this ; whenever they wish to 

 lift anything from the ground, they do it with 

 their legs apart rather than close together. 

 The horse should certainly not have large 

 stones ; but this point cannot be determined 

 in the colt. As for the hocks below, or the 

 shanks and the fetlocks and hoofs, I say 

 about them here just what I did in the case 

 of the forefeet. 



I will set down, too, how you are least likely 

 to miss the mark in the matter of size. That 

 colt always turns out the largest whose 

 shanks are longest at the time of foaling. For 

 the shanks do not grow '5 very much in any 



