36 FORM AND ACTION. 



chested, or long or loose loined, and as are, according to the text 

 we have prefixed, " at the same time great feeders, will soon dis- 

 tend their bellies to such a degree that it will be impossible for their 

 entrails to be contained within their ribs ; so they will press down, 

 and form what is called ' a cow's belly.' " Upon such a horse, in 

 consequence of the large circumferent measure posteriorly, and the 

 diminished size of the girth round the brisket, the saddle is fre- 

 quently riding forwards and the girths becoming loose ; the only 

 stay to the saddle being a crouper, or girthing tight enough round 

 the middle of the belly to form a sort of indentation in that part, 

 neither of which expedients is very pleasant to the horse or his 

 rider. Opposed to this kind of formation of body is that in which, 

 from want of length, or rather convexity, in the middle ribs, the 

 circumferent measure decreases all the way from the place of girth- 

 ing to the flanks : the consequence of which is, that the horse is 

 continually slipping his roller and running through his clothes. 

 It is always a sign of good make when a horse " carries his saddle 

 well ;" it shews that his back is properly formed, and that he is 

 not encumbered with " a cow's belly." It also looks well when 

 the roller keeps its place, at least when the circumstance is not 

 solely referrible to size or distention of belly. 



A LIGHT-CARCASSED, or heron-gutted horse, is commonly weak 

 in constitution and defective in physical powers, and altogether 

 unfit for every purpose where strength and endurance, or hard work, 

 is required. Any extra exertion will take him off his feed ; and, 

 in addition, he is very likely to evince a timid, nervous, or fidgetty 

 temper. A horse of this description may answer for the park or 

 promenade, and be, with a rider who is not disconcerted or annoyed 

 by his temper, even a favourite, though for real service or work he 

 is next, to valueless. We should, however, take care to make a 

 distinction between a light-carcassed horse whose chest is deep, and 

 so far good, and one that has neither chest nor belly to boast of; 

 but, " without middle piece," appears all legs. The former may 

 be a good feeder, and, should he possess this property, will perhaps, 

 in spite of his lightness of belly, turn out to possess some stamina; 

 the latter never can be worth any thing. Indeed, when there is 

 good depth of chest, as regards speed in galloping — for racing — 

 this greyhound form of body appears advantageous, not only from 



