THE SHIRE MARE CHANCE. 293 



had a light head, neck, and quarters, and was narrow when 

 viewed from behind. He was extremely round in the back 

 ribs, and was very well ribbed up. 



Plate 15. — Stepaside is a nearly thoroughbred, and very 

 smart, light-weight Irish hunter. She was invincible over 

 hurdles in India, where the class of "timber-toppers" is 

 extremely moderate. She has capital shoulders, light neck, 

 neat head (except for a bump on the nose), powerful hind 

 quarters, and well-rounded ribs. She is a good stayer. As 

 might have been inferred from the fact of her being somewhat 

 longer in the body than she is high at the withers or over the 

 croup, she is no race-horse on the flat. 



Plate 19. — The famous champion vShire mare Chance, 

 appears here as a four-year-old. The fact of her being in foal 

 detracts somewhat from her great beauty of conformation. 

 I can find no fault in her as a "show" animal, except that 

 she is a little "back at the knees." For heavy draught pur- 

 poses, however, her hind legs are, possibly, too long. 

 Farm, Field and Fireside says : "Her sire is Lincoln, and 

 dam Brock. This animal has taken twenty-four first and 

 champion prizes, amongst which we may mention that she was 

 twice champion at Islington, and three times at different shows 

 of the ' Royal.' During the whole of her eventful career she 

 was never beaten, and finished in grand style by carrying off 

 the Queen's gold medal at the Jubilee meeting of the ' Royal,' 

 beating Starlight and other famous mares. She was foaled 

 in 1880." 



Plate 20. — This pony mare is disproportionately high 

 over the croup, and consequently her weight is put too 

 much on her fore legs. As she is, also, somewhat "back" 



