16 PURCHASING PROM THE STABLES. 



and Natives who have been best conversant with the 

 Arab, that nothing denotes the superior cast more 

 than that extreme obliquity of shoulder, and certain- 

 ly nothing denotes the make more. When the shoul- 

 der is very oblique, how short the neck appears 

 below from the back part of the channel to the chest ; 

 and how long above from between the ears to the 

 withers ! What superb conformation ! An unex- 

 pected trip easily throws a horse with a straight 

 shoulder down, and he generally hangs very heavy 

 in hand as he tires. The straight-shouldered horse, 

 if shining in other points, may pass handsomely for 

 draught in a carriage or buggy, but will never an- 

 swer well for the saddle. From the top of the blade 

 to the point it should be long, very long, for that 

 will compensate for a little deficiency in the oblique- 

 ness ; and the space from the point to the fore-arm, 

 or leg, particularly short, in order that the legs may 

 stand well forward ; and the chest should be mode- 

 rately broad, in order that these forward legs may 

 not be too close together, but while it is broad it 

 must also be flat ; not concave and hollow, but flat, 

 and not overloaded in front. A round full chested 

 horse will do very well as a carriage-wheeler, but 

 not for the turf. The great, broad, rounded and 

 projecting hang-over chests, with the fore-legs often 

 inclining under the belly, are continually called fine 

 chests, but they are as bad as bull-necks. 



THE DEPTH OF GIRTH, AND CARCASE. 







The depth of girth cannot be too great, and the 

 carcase, which should resemble a barrel, and not be 



