THE HACKNEY, OR ROADSTER. 
423 
with the smallest obstacle or inequality of the road. In 
his action he ought to lift his fore-legs high, and have 
a well-bent knee ; his hind-legs should be placed consider¬ 
ably behind him, and widely set. 
We must, however, remark, that he ought only to lift his 
fore-legs moderately high. Some are of opinion that the 
higher he lifts them the better, and conceive that while 
possessed of this quality he never will come down. This is 
a mistake, and it will be found that a horse that raises his 
feet too high in trotting, produces a disagreeable action, and 
shakes and fatigues even the best of riders ; besides, he 
batters his hoofs to pieces in a few years. The principal 
thing to be attended to is the manner in which the hackney 
puts his feet to the ground; for if his toes first touch the 
road, he is sure to be a stumbler; the foot should come fiat 
down on the whole sole at once, otherwise the horse is not 
to be depended upon in his trotting. But every rider in 
passing along a road should be constantly on his guard, as 
the best horse may come down by a rolling or loose stone 
getting under his feet, and therefore his mouth should 
always be felt by the rider. 
Some persons prefer hollow-backed horses on account of 
their paces being generally easy; but it is an ascertained fact 
that they will never stand much work : the back should be 
straight and rather short than otherwise. Many suppose 
that if the fore legs of a horse are close, the feet must 
necess, ; ly cut the pasterns; but this is by no means 
the case, as it is only when the feet are twisted or irre¬ 
gularly set in one way or other that they cut. Indeed a 
saddle-horse can hardly be too close before, or too wide 
behind. 
Another most essential point in a hackney is, that his 
oight is good, otherwise he is sure to shy at every object 
