e.
When an animal is emaciated--that is, becomes thin--there is first a
loss of fat and later the muscles shrink. By observing the amount of
shrinkage in the muscles one has some indication as to the duration of
the unfavorable conditions under which the animal has lived.

By constitution we understand the innate ability of the animal to
withstand disease or unfavorable conditions of life. The constitution
depends largely upon the conformation. The type of construction that
usually accompanies the best constitution is deep, broad chest, allowing
plenty of room for the lungs and heart, indicating that these vital
organs are well developed; capacious abdomen, allowing sufficient space
for well-developed organs of digestion; the loins should be short--that
is, the space should be short between the last rib and the point of the
hip; the head and neck should be well molded, without superfluous or
useless tissue; this gives a clear-cut throat. The ears, eyes, and face
should have an expression of alertness and good breeding. The muscular
development should be good; the shoulders, forearms, croup, and thighs
must have the appearance of strength. The withers are sharp, which means
that they are not loaded with useless, superfluous tissue; the legs are
straight and their axes are parallel; the knees and hocks are low, which
means that the forearms and thighs are long and the cannons relatively
short. The cannons are broad from in front to behind and relatively thin
from side to side. This means that the bony and tendinous structures of
the legs are well developed and well placed. The hoofs are compact,
tense, firm structures, and their soles are concave and frogs large.
Such a horse is likely to have a good constitution and to be able to
resist hard work, fatigue, and disease to a maximum degree. On the other
hand, a poor constitution is indicated by a shallow, narrow chest, small
bones, long loins, coarse neck and head, with thick throat, small, bony,
and muscular development, short thighs and forearms, small joints, long,
round cannons, and hoofs of open texture with flat soles.

The temperament is indicated by the manner in which the horse responds
to external stimuli. When the horse is spoken to, or when he sees or
feels anything that stimulates or gives alarm, if he responds actively,
quickly, and intelligently, he is said to be of lively, or nervous,
temperament. On the other hand, if he responds in a slow, sluggish
manne