40 TYPES AND BREEDS 



(3) Must be angular, not having the form rounded out by 

 hvlkj muscles, and carrying no excess weight in fat. 



(4) Must be narrow, to permit of the greatest directness of 

 shoulder motion and to offer tlie least resistance to the wind. 



(5) Must be deep, to insure ample heart, lung, and digestive 

 capacity, which it is not possible to secure by width. 



Quality, denoting the iinest texture of structure, to insure 

 durability, with least weight and bulk, is necessary in a horse 

 that is to attain great speed. 



Stamina^ bottom, and heartiness are most essential. 



The temperament should be nervous, affording the requisite 

 nerve force and courage to properly control and sustain the per- 

 formance of which the speed horse is mechanically capable. 



Their way of going serves as a basis for further classification 

 into (1) trotters or pacers, (2) ninners or jumpers. 



Trotter's and pacers acconqjlish what is asked of them by 

 virtue of their ability to extend themselves into a long, reachy 

 stride done rapidly. They are capable of the greatest length of 

 stride, on account of the greater proportionate leng-th of forearm 

 and lower thigh which they possess. Their muscles are corre- 

 s]3ondingly long, narrow, and band-like, with the capacity for 

 rapid contraction in an extreme degree. Pacing is differen- 

 tiated as a lateral instead of a diagonal gait, and usually goes 

 with greater length of limb in proportion to body, lower fore- 

 hand, longer, steeper croup, and more bent hocks than are seen 

 in the trotter. In double-gaited horses these differences may 

 not be ai^parent. 



The runner attains speed by a series of successive jumps, in 

 which the proi^ulsive power of the hindquarters is most marked. 

 He is, therefore, characterized by greater development of fore- 

 hand, a thicker stifle, and a straighter hind leg with less propor- 

 tionate length from tlie hip-joint to the hock than characterizes 

 the trotter. Tlis characteristic way of standing easy on his front 

 legs is shown by experience to have its influence in reducing con 

 cussion, in the recovery at the end of each jump. As a nile, speed 

 over the jumps is more a matter of schooling and temperament 

 than of conformation, although there is alleged to be a certain 

 straightness of top line, especially in the region of the loin, which 



