The Head

The head should be small, and free from fleshiness; not projecting in front from the forehead downwards, (which is called Roman-nosed,) but, if any thing, rather hollow in that part, than otherwise; it should be wide across the forehead, and taper towards the muzzle, which should be small and thin. The bottom jaw should be wide underneath at the junction with the neck, so that the gullet may not be confined. The nostrils should be large, and open; and the ears long. The eyes should be lively, clear, and bold, and placed well towards the front of the head.

Neck

The neck should be light, clean, and hollow at the throat; the crest fine, firm, and arched at the top just behind the head, and strong and muscular at its union with the shoulder.

Shoulders

The shoulders should rise, and run well into the back, so that, when the animal is mounted, the rider's toes may be behind its forelegs. The withers should not be thin, but strong; though quite smooth, and free from lumps on each side: the points of the shoulders, most particularly, should be light, and nicely rounded off. The bosom should not be heavy, and prominent, nor yet narrow and confined.

Back And Body

The girth should be wide, and deep. The loins should be broad, and rising on each side of the spine; but the back-bone itself should not be high, which is called roach-backed.

The body should be deep, and round in the ribs; the hips should be quite smooth, and the space very long from them to the root of the tail, which should be almost in a straight line with the back.

Thighs And Hind-legs

The thighs should be large, and muscular, and continue so to the hocks, which should be large, lean, bony joints; and the leg should be short from thence downwards. The hind legs should stand well under the top of the animal, and not with the hocks bowed out behind him.

Elbows And Fore-legs

The elbows should stand square, not jammed into the chest, nor yet inclining outwards. The arms should be large, and muscular, like the thighs, but should taper in a shapely manner towards the knee. The knees should be great, flat joints, and not recede from the straight line of the leg, (which shape is called calf-knee'd.) The legs should stand straight, not twisted in, nor out at the ancles. The space between knee and fetlock cannot be too thick, too short, or too flat; and so clean, that you may see, or at least feel, the suspensory ligament, as it is called, clear, and distinct to its roots.

Pasterns

The pasterns should not be small in circumference, nor long, and bending, as it were, with the animal's weight; nor yet should they be short and upright, but partaking of the pliability of the former shape, with the strength of the latter.

Feet

The feet should be round, and wide at the heels; the frog large, and sound; and the sole concave.

Yet, possessing these perfections in shape, a horse is of no value un less a good mover; and I think that a plain horse, when a good goer, is far preferable to a fine shaped one, with middling action. This brings me next to mention.