PREPARING PONIES FOR MEASUREMENT 119 



ties were satisfied by the pony's running that he was in 

 racing condition. It is, of course, evident that to be in 

 such condition the animal could neither be " faked " nor 

 drugged. 



As I am in no way responsible for the moral or im- 

 moral tendencies of rules of racing in India, I shall leave 

 the subject alone, and shall now proceed to describe the 

 methods generally adopted under existing requirements to 

 get ponies to measure as low as possible. 



I may first of all explain that, in the position which a 

 pony has to adopt when he is being measured, the line of 

 his fore-arms and front cannon bones has to be as nearly 

 vertical as practicable ; his fore feet must not be unduly 

 separated; his head must not be lowered beyond what 

 will bring the upper line of his neck horizontal; no 

 pulling down of the skin at the withers is allowed ; and 

 the hocks must be pretty well under him. As a rule, 

 every chance is given to the animal to " settle down," so 

 that he may measure as low as he can fairly do before the 

 record is decided upon. No allowance is made for shoes. 

 The height taken is (or, at least, ought to be) the vertical 

 distance of the highest point of the withers from the 

 ground. 



Apart from the actual length of the bones, the height 

 of a horse is affected chiefly by — 



1. The condition of the muscles which connect the fore 

 limbs to the trunk ; for the more they become relaxed by 

 debility — whether from fatigue, ill health, or the action 

 of drugs — the more will the body, and consequently the 

 withers, sink between the fore legs. 



2. The angles made by the bones respectively at the 



