POINTS OF THE HORSE. 



CHAPTER I. 



FIRST PRINCIPLES OF CONFORMATION. 



Varieties of Conformation — Animals of Speed and Animals of Strength — 

 Endurance — Soundness. 



Varieties of Conformation. — The chief varieties of 

 conformation, from a useful point of view, are those of 

 speed, strength, endurance, and soundness. 



Animals of Speed and Animals of Strength. 



— When we speak of the conformation of a horse, we 

 refer to the adaptabihty of his body for general or 

 special work. We all know, without the aid of science 

 to tell us, that a light-boned thorough-bred would be as 

 unsuitable to carry a fifteen-stone man, as a thick-set 

 cob would be to win a five-furlong race. The " weed " 

 would not fail, necessarily, from deficiency in weight of 

 bone and muscle ; for there are many ponies of thirteen 

 hands or under, which would not weigh more than 

 a slender five-furlong performer, and yet could bear a 

 welter burden through a long da37's journey, with ease 

 to themselves and comfort to their rider. The failure 

 to carry weight in the one case, and the inability to 

 display a high degree of speed in the other, would 

 obviously be due (in the absence of any particular de- 

 fect) to the fact of the conformation of the animal 



