THE JUMPER. 271 



9. The hocks should possess the ability of being freely 

 straightened out, as well as bent. 



The Racing Pony should possess all the points of the 

 race-horse which have been described under the preceding 

 heading, but modified where necessary, by conditions suitable 

 to superior ability for carrying weight ; for ponies, in com- 

 parison to their height, have almost always to bear much 

 heavier burdens than horses which are used for racing. 



The Jumper. — i. The forehand should be light. 



2. The jumper, as a rule, should have no tendency to be 

 higher at the croup than at the withers ; for he requires to be 

 light in front {see p. 49), and to have the bones of his fore 

 limbs comparatively long, so as to be able to efficiently raise 

 his forehand, both when taking off and landing. 



3. The shoulder-blades and pasterns should be long and 

 sloping. 



4. The muscles which lie along the front portion of the 

 shoulder-blade, and the lump of muscle above the fore-arm 

 should be well-developed {see PI. 57) ; as the former straighten 

 the shoulder joint, and the latter straighten the elbow joint ; 

 two actions which help to prevent the horse from fallino- when 

 he lands over a jump. 



5. The muscles over the loins, behind the saddle, should 

 be particularly strong {see p. 64). 



6. The hocks should be large ; and their straightening 

 power (the gaskins) broad. 



The steeple-chaser may be regarded as a combination, in 

 fairly equal proportions, of the race-horse and jumper. The 

 Imr die-racer, as a rule, will have more of the former than of 

 the latter in him. The Jmnter should be essentially a jumper. 



