THE HORSE, HOW TO BUY. 185 



first illustration shows as near perfection as may be in the shoulder foi- 

 staunch qualities, good action and a fast walk. The neck muscular, but 

 without superfluous flesh, but with plenty of substance where it joins th* 

 shoulder ; the shoulder oblique and deep ; the shoulder-blade high, help* 

 ing to give stability to the withers ; the breast prominent, but tapering 

 down to where the legs come out of the body ; the arm long, muscular, 

 and yet tapering ; the joints large, but yet firm and compact ; the fet* 

 locks of fair length and yet flexible ; and the hoofs of good size, round, 

 of good depth, tough and sound. An animal possessing the conformation 

 as shown, will indicate a horse good for any purpose where speed and 

 long continued powers of endurance are required. While the illus- 

 trations we give are perfect of their kind, and more valuable than any 

 written description alone can be, yet the living animal must be studied, 

 not only at rest, but in motion. The harness horse, however, need not 

 have so oblique a shoulder as we have shown. In fact, few horses, even 

 of the best class, do. 



So the trotting gait, combining speed with high action and grand style 

 miffht be considered vile in a saddle horse. In fact, the saddle horse 

 should have a springy yet smooth motion, and except for show on the 

 road, this will be found to be best for fast and easy work in harness. In 

 practice much of this is often sacrificed, in pleasure horses, for the sake 

 of mere style. The breeding of such horses is a fine art, often a costly 

 one ; yet those which fail in the style and action necessary to command 

 the highest price as road and saddle horses, will be found to amply repay 

 the breeding for the general purposes of the farm and for the road. 



Explanation. — On page 186 are illustrations showing, the upper one, 

 to the left, a straight shoulder, a heavy chest, and legs placed too far 

 under. The arm seems longer than it is because it lacks muscularity ; 

 the shanks, while not positively weak, do not show due strength near th« 

 knee and pasterns, and are not as strong as they should be. 



The upper figure, to the right, shows a shoulder as bad as the prece- 

 ding one, and also weak legs and pasterns, the length from hoof to joint 

 above being too oreat. 



The left hand figure at bottom of same page, shows a shoulder fairly 

 well placed, but with the legs set too much under, and the pasterns too 

 straight. Such a conformation will give the horse the appearance of 

 standing on the toes. 



The lower figure to the right, shows what old age, hard work, abuse, 

 or all combined, may bring any animal to, that originally may have been 

 not only well bred, but of fair quality throughout. Watch for such 

 limbs in buying, and avoid them. 



