HOW TO BUY A HORSE. 
405 
and is equal to a third, less or more, of the distance he has 
actually travelled. The fore-legs should he set well under 
the fore part of the shoulder, affording ample support to it 
such as have their legs placed forward, possess neither power 
nor action. When the legs are viewed sideways or in profile, 
they should be nearly straight, as in our representation of 
the horse, plate 1 ; but when horses have what are called 
calf-knees, that is, with a slight inclination inwards, and 
with the shank sloping forwards, it is a certain sign of 
weakness, and such horses will always more easily knock up 
with hard work than those which have straight or even 
prominent knees. 
The hind legs should either be straight from the hock 
downwards, or having a slight inclination under the bell}' 
Horses so formed are for the most part low in the rump, and 
will throw out their legs well under them when in action. 
On the contrary, horses which throw their legs outward are 
always disagreeable to ride, and seldom work well. Horses 
that stand with their hind legs much under them, and at 
the same time which droop in the hind-quarters, may be 
suspected to be diseased in the spine or the kidneys, and 
should be carefully examined on those points ; and while 
doing so, on no account permit a dealer’s servant to hold up 
the horse by the bridle, or to stand on rising ground. This 
should be most especially attended to while examining the 
legs. It is the invariable practice of dealers’ grooms when 
exhibiting a horse to throw the snaffle and curb reins over 
the head, and to hold him back with the latter, while he 
touches him up behind with a long whip, which has the 
effect of making him elevate his head, and brings him to 
his mettle, and therefore he hardly knows where he places 
his feet; consequently he will both bend his knees and 
throw out his feet much more than he does in his ordinary 
