Ii8 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



leaping powers, popular opinion and prejudice to 

 the contrary. Still it is not a desirable conformation 

 when excessive ; nor is such a shape likely to hold its 

 flesh W''ell, and to retain that robust appearance so 

 acceptable to the eye. " Short above and long 

 below " affords the ideal conformation, and insures 

 a horse " standing over a lot of ground," and prop- 

 erly on all his legs. A " roached " loin is not attrac- 

 tive, nor is a decided drop to the croup — yet the 

 formations neither insure nor forbid power in back 

 and loin. A sway-backed draught-horse is more 

 powerful than his straight-made mate, but will not 

 remain so if weight (as a man or bag of meal) be 

 placed upon the latter's loins to dip his back for the 

 pull. 



The ribs should be long, well sprung, standing 

 out well from the backbone; the hips round, and 

 smooth over the hip bones; the stifles prominent, 

 playing clear of the sides, and well muscled ; the 

 horse very broad through there — " good to follow," 

 as horsemen say. The ragged-hipped formation is 



