THE SHOULDER AND CHEST. 15 



chase none for the turf, therefore, but what may not 

 be inaptly termed a horizontal horse. 



It is actually requisite to have some length of back 

 for the turf, and provided the quarter is long, the 

 shoulder oblique, and the spine straight, there is not 

 much fear of the back being too long. A long 

 quarter, a moderately long back, and a rather long 

 neck, must necessarily make a tolerably long horse, 

 which is the form desired for a racer. A tall, short 

 horse, is not found to keep the pace up so well as one 

 that is longer. The length should therefore be great 

 from the point of the shoulder to the hindermost point 

 of the quarter ; and then, if with this long quarter 

 added to a good oblique slanting shoulder, the fore- 

 legs are planted well forward, and the hind-legs pro- 

 perly dropped, there will be observable that " short- 

 ness above and length below" so much sought after ; 

 in other words, there will be a long horse with a short 

 back. The reverse of this, a short horse with a long 

 back, is shown in the frontispiece. So, the true 

 meaning of a long horse being length from the point 

 of the shoulder to the hindermost point of the quar- 

 ter, it is very possible to have a long horse with a 

 short neck also, which, if light, and with a curve 

 where the head is set on, will do admirably for a ra- 

 cer : or to have a short horse with a long neck, which 

 is more adapted for a charger or hunter. 



THE SHOULDER AND CHEST. 



The shoulder must run back with a good slant ; 

 and then, if the withers rise a full inch above the top 

 of the shoulder-blade, it will not be found too heavi- 

 ly laden. It has been asserted, by both Europeans 



