I08 XENOPHON ON HORSEMANSHIP. 



p. 49 ff. The fragment here translated is all that 

 remains of Simon's book on the horse, except a few 

 quotations from it in Pollux. 



If one desires to know this subject well, 

 it seems to me that the shape of the horse 

 is the first thing. To begin with the country 

 of birth, you must know that, so far as Greece 

 is concerned, Thessaly is the best. As to 

 size there are three accepted terms, — large, 

 small, and good-sized, or, if you like, moder- 

 ate ; and it is obvious which size each of the 

 terms will fit. But moderate size is best in 

 every animal. I cannot tell a good horse 

 from his colour; however, it seems to me 

 that a mane which is of the same colour 

 throughout and of fine hair is generally the 

 best, and besides it is most unlike that of 

 the ass and the mule. A point second to 

 none in consideration is that the horse must 

 be short above and long below, so that the 

 distance shall be short from the withers to 

 the haunches, but as long as possible from 

 the hind legs to the fore ; next, that he must 

 be sound-footed. A good hoof for a horse 

 is the light and handy sort, neither broad 

 nor too high, and having little flesh but 



