SETTING-ON OF THE HEAD, 



3J 



length of upper lip, which undoubtedly looks ugly. Both this 

 conformation and the possession of a thick tuft of hair or 

 moustache on the upper lip, are indicative of coarse blood. 



Lower Jaw. — The branches of the lower jaw should be 

 broad, as viewed from the side, and should be wide apart at 

 their angles, so as to give plenty of room for the tube (the 

 larynx) which lies between them, and which opens into the 

 wind-pipe. The space between the jaws should not alone be 

 broad, but should also be hollowed out, a condition which 

 will show that the parts are of firm texture and free from 

 excess of loose connective tissue (p. 12). The old practical 

 rule of finding whether a horse is wide enough between the 

 jaws, is to try if the clenched fist can be placed within the 

 hollow. I venture to think that few horses could successfully 

 pass this test, if it were applied with an ordinary sized man's 

 hand. When this space is broad and well hollowed out, the 

 horse will naturally be able to bend his head more freely than 

 when it is narrow, and he will, consequently, be pleasanter 

 to ride and drive. 



Setting-on of the Head. — The part where the head is 

 set on to the neck should be lean and muscular, and should 

 show a slight depression behind the ears and lower jaw, and 

 also above the wind-pipe. This will indicate absence of an 

 excess of loose connective tissue and ability on the part of 

 the horse to bend his head freely. The beautiful manner in 

 which the neck ''runs into'' the head of some horses, is due 

 to the arrangement of the bones of the neck and to the lean 

 and well-developed condition of the muscles. The profile of 

 this junction will, then, form a curve which will be a fitting 

 commencement of the graceful, undulating line that sweeps 

 over the neck, slightly dips in front of the withers, over 

 which it curves, and rising a little along the back, swells 

 boldly over the loins and quarters, dips again at the root of 

 the dock, and, finally, ends in the flowing lines of the tail. 

 The setting-on of the head and the curves alluded to were 



