POINTS OF A CAPE HORSE. 



especially inland, where the science of breeding is less 

 understood : a horse is frequently seen with fore-quarters 

 equal to fifteen hands, and hind- quarters only large enough 

 for a pony. In Africa many animals have a tendency to 

 largeness about the fore-quarters ; the elephant, wildebeest, 

 and hartebeest appearing unnaturally heavy in front, and 

 as though they required but a push from behind to send 

 them on their noses. Whether the climate has anything 

 to do with this peculiar form I know not, but the horses 

 are seldom too large in their hind-quarters, although the 

 Hottentots and the Cape sheep are in this particular 

 absolutely ponderous. 



The Hantam and Swellendam districts are celebrated 

 for their breed of horses, and these supply great part of 

 the colony. The qualities most esteemed amongst the 

 Cape breeders are, small head, small ears, large nostril, 

 small muzzle, broad chest, large bone in the leg, short 

 in the cannon and pastern, toes rather turned in than 

 out ; well ribbed home (many Dutchmen would not 

 buy a horse that allowed more than four fingers to be 

 placed between the last rib and the hip-bone) ; broad 

 behind, with the tail set on very high (this last is a 

 speciality] ; cow-hocks are detested. Several small pecu- 

 liarities are esteemed at the Cape that are not even 

 observed in England ; for instance, a Dutchman once 

 told me that he knew a pony of mine must be enduring, 

 from the small size of the corns on the inside of the hind- 

 legs ; he assured me that, when this was the case, a 

 horse rarely tired, while, when the reverse, he generally 

 shut up with only half a journey. I must own that I 



