544 FRENCH MODE OF EXAMINING A HORSE. [BK. IV; 



flat hoof, too brittle, or too soft, and affections of 

 the lungs. Though he knows already where horse- 

 fairs are held, he should prefer travelling round the 

 adjacent country, a short time previously thereto ; 

 as he may be sure that all the good horses are sold 

 before it begins. The age should be between four 

 and live years, and as little above as possible. 



" Those things being well thought on, the pur- 

 chaser will look at the horse sideways at a tolerable 

 distance : he will choose him as nearly as possible 

 one tenth longer than he is high, measuring from 

 the breast to the quarter, and from the withers to 

 the ground, so that if the horse be five feet high, 

 his length should he five feet and a half. 



" Preserving the same situation, he will see 1st, 

 If the horse has a small head, not too fleshy, per- 

 fectly free from tumours, and well placed, neither 

 carrying it too low nor too high ; 2nd, If he has not 

 an ill-shaped neck, with his windpipe hanging too 

 low, or bending ; 3rd, Whether his withers be 

 either too sharp or too large, with fleshy shoulders ; 

 4th, Whether he is not hollow backed; 5th, 

 Whether his chest be well formed, neither too 

 round nor too flat ; 6th, Whether he be low-bel- 

 lied, with a small sheath; 7th, Whether he be 

 touched in the wind; 8th, If his forelegs are not 

 too slender, or his hock do not bend forwards too 

 much ; 9th, If the tendons or back sinews be not 

 ailing, i. e. either sore to the touch, or else stift- 

 jointed; 10th, Whether the animal be not either 

 long-jointed, or short-jointed; 11th, Whether he 



