CHEST AND BACK 217 



upon the shape of the ribs. The ribs should be well 

 arched, springing out from the backbone. This will make 

 a broad back, furnishing room for the attachment of strong 

 muscles. They should be well carried down, forming a 

 roomy cavity for the digestive organs, and giving to the 

 animal a cylindrical appearance. The distance from the 

 last rib to the hips should be short, forming what is called 

 a " short couple." The round-ribbed, short-coupled an- 

 imal is stronger, healthier, and more easily kept in good 

 condition thereby. 



Back. — The back, extending from the shoulders to the 

 hips, should be short, wide, and strong. Low and long 

 backs are weak ones. The male should have a shorter back 

 and shorter coupling than the female, in which more length 

 is allowable. 



Loins. — The loin is the region between the last rib and 

 the hips, constituting what has been referred to as the 

 " coupling." One should look for a short, wide, muscular 

 loin. When the back of the horse becomes weak the 

 attack generally affects the loin first, and most violently; 

 the horse sustaining an injury of this kind often losing the 

 power to move. 



Underline. — The underline should be long and low, and 

 the legs short. The horse with the long belly and the short 

 back is the best-shaped animal. In the region of the flank, 

 the animal should be low with no tendency toward " tuck- 

 ing up," as this indicates an unthrifty animal. Deficiency 

 in the region of the flank also means weakness of the 

 thigh, a point in which the draft horse should be es- 

 pecially strong. 



Hips. — From one hip point to the other, the horse should 

 be wide, level, and well covered with muscle. The female 



