CHEST AND RIBS. 187 



sible, compared to its length. The longer it is, the further 

 removed will the fore and hind limbs be from each other, and 

 the less able will the animal be to carry weight. On p. 65 

 we have seen that a short body is a desirable point in the 

 race-horse and jumper. In draught, also, any undue length 

 of body is a disadvantage ; for the farther the fore and hind 

 legs are apart, the less rigid will be the connection between 

 them, and the less efficiently will they work together. When 

 speaking of the depth of a horse's body, I refer to its depth 

 at the lowest point of its back {sec Fig. 2). If an animal 

 shows a good measurement at this part, he is almost certain 

 to possess fair substance of body. The measurement from 

 withers to brisket is very fallacious ; for it is not alone 

 affected by the height of the withers themselves, but it also 

 affords hardly any indication of the nature of the " centre- 

 piece " of the body. Many horses, which are very light in 

 their loins and back ribs, have good depth from withers to 

 brisket, as in PI. 56. In Pis. 32, ^iZ^ and 34, the length of the 

 body is, respectively, about 2 . 44, 2.5, and 2 . 8 times its depth. 



Chest and Ribs. — Although the heart, as well as the 

 lungs, is contained in the chest, I shall not consider it here ; 

 for I can offer no clue as to its action from the consideration 

 of the conformation of the chest, which is influenced chiefly 

 by the shape, size, and setting-on of the ribs. The points 

 which we should seek for in the ribs of the horse, in order to 

 obtain the best possible breathing power, are : — 



1. Convexity or roundness of ribs (" barrel ") behind the 

 shoulder. 



2. Good length of ribs. 



3. Ribs well inclined to the rear. 



