LECTURES ON HORSES. 
123 
centrically forward in progression yi the way racers are required 
to do. They will possess stability and strength in action, but their 
freedom or extent of action will be diminished ; neither will they 
possess the same facility in turning sharp or quick as horses of a 
different make. One of the broadest-hipped horses I ever knew 
belonged to an officer of the Guards, and of him great complaints 
were made about his “ rolling and awkward gait behind,” and his 
inability to “turn about and wheel round” with the required 
promptitude ; the consequence was, that he lost his place as a 
charger, and was sold as a harness-horse. In a general way, 
horses measure about twenty inches across from hip-bone to hip- 
bone ; though some will run as much in their measure as twenty- 
two, while others will not exceed nineteen inches. 1 do not find, 
as in human beings, any notable difference between the width of 
the pelvis in the male and female horse. 
Although the race-horse may prove disadvantageously broad 
across his hips, I believe he will never be found either too lengthy 
or too straight in his quarters ; by which I mean, the length and 
elevation of an imaginary line carried from either hip to the point 
of his quarter, or of another carried from the summit of his rump 
to the root of his dock. Such straight make of quarter implies 
small degree of declination in the position of the pelvis, the effect 
of which is extension of the angles between the pelvis and the 
femoral bones, and correspondent increase of the distances between 
the pelvis and the stifles in front, and between the pelvis and 
hocks behind ; and thereby augmenting the dimensions of the 
muscles running between these salient points, and at the same 
time furnishing them with, under the circumstances, the greatest 
advantages in their action. Length and straightness in the 
quarters must, therefore, be regarded as characteristic attributes 
of the race-horse. 
Genuine hackneys, and many good hunters too, possess quar- 
ters the reverse of this in form ; more, in fact, like that of cart- 
horses ; and, when it is considered that the former are desired for 
their walking and trotting paces, and the latter in their gallop to 
carry great weight, we need feel no surprise at this : blood quar- 
ters would have given them increased gallopping speed, but they 
could, with the augmented stride, neither have carried the required 
weight nor maintained the stability and firmness of step requisite 
for heavy draught, and, therefore, they would not have proved so 
valuable either upon the road or in the field. On this account the 
short -quartered horse is often to be preferred to the lengthy one, 
even for the purposes of hunting ; though, of course, should there 
be found — as nowadays there often is, from our extensive increase 
of blood — lengthy quarters possessing the requisite strength, they 
