10 A COUNTRY READER. 



ought to be long and powerful, its thighs mus- 

 cular, its hocks clean and neatly shaped, the 

 head clean and long, with a look of good breeding 

 about it. 



A riding horse cannot, as a rule, gallop as fast 

 as a thoroughbred, but its other paces are better 

 suited for giving pleasure in riding. It lifts its 

 feet well off the ground with good all-round 

 action. It can walk and trot faster and with 

 greater safety than the thoroughbred. A good 

 walk and trot is very essential in a riding horse. 

 For when you ride you walk and trot your horse 

 far more than you gallop it. In fact, no good 

 rider who knows anything of, or cares anything 

 for, his horse, unless absolutely obliged, ever 

 canters or gallops along the road or on a hard 

 surface, because the jar of the hard surface tends 

 to break the feet and cause all manner of mischief 

 to arise in the legs, that in time may send the 

 horse lame, or cause it to become what is termed 

 unsound. 



In selecting a riding horse, there are certain 

 points which are very essential. It is necessary to 

 see where he will carry his saddle. The shoulders 

 and withers ought so to place the saddle that 

 the weight of the rider is thrown more on the 

 quarters than on the front legs. In other words, 

 when you are in the saddle, you ought to have 

 a good deal of the horse in front of you. The 



