274 THE HORSE IN AMERICA 



of achieving it and meanwhile I have lots of fun 

 with horses that are not more than half what 

 they ought to be. 



The oldest writer on horses was Xenophon. He 

 says : " The neck should not be thrown out from 

 the chest like a boar's, but like a cock's, should 

 rise straight up to the poll, and be slim at the 

 bend, while the head, though bony, should have 

 but a small jaw. The neck would then protect the 

 rider, and the eye see what lies before the feet. " 



Xenophon is the oldest writer on the subject. 

 Mr. Price Collier is the latest and in many re- 

 gards the best, because he not only knows how to 

 write, but knows what he is writing about. Here 

 is what he says about the proportions of a well- 

 formed horse : 



"One cannot go to buy a horse with a tape- 

 measure, but certain proportions are well enough 

 to keep in mind. The length of the head of a well- 

 proportioned horse is almost equal to the dis- 

 tance; (1) from the top of the withers to the point, 

 of the shouldeV; (■?) from the lowest point of the 

 back to the abdomen; (3) from the point of the 

 stifle to the point of the hock; (4) from the point 



