j6o training in INDIA 



Signs of Condition. — When a horse is in perfect 

 condition, his coat will be soft and glossy like satin ; his 

 eye bright, but tranquil ; his sweat scanty, will dry readily, 

 and will be free from oily matter ; his legs and feet cool ; 

 his muscles hard, prominent, and distinct from each other ; 

 those extending along each side of his spine will be full 

 and massive ; while those over his quarters will swell up 

 to a certain convexity. The ribs will be defined, although 

 covered with a powerful sheet of muscle, which, as well 

 as the muscles that cover the belly, will have to become 

 developed by the forced respiration necessitated by fast 

 work. The fact of these muscles being in this condition 

 is manifested by the presence of their raised though 

 irregular border, which runs in a more or less diagonal 

 direction down each side of the abdomen towards the 

 groin. The " quarter mark " — division between the lice'ps 

 rotator tibialis and triceps ahdiodor femoris muscles — is 

 well defined. The space round the anus should be 

 prominent and filled up; the thighs so developed that 

 they should meet for a considerable way down. The crest 

 should be full and hard; and the large caioiU muscles 

 which lie just above the fore arm, should form a distinct 

 lump. " Who can fail to see in a well-trained race-horse 

 the muscles, standing, as it were, prominently one from 

 another about the quarter and thighs, ' hard as iron to the 

 touch,' and giving the animal an appearance of being thin 

 and poor? The appearance of thinness is the result of 

 the great prominence of each individual muscle, of increase 

 in their volume and weight, and an extraordinary healthy 

 tonicity." ( Williams.) 



