CLASSIFICATION OF HORSES. 425 



body at the lowest point of the back. Consequently, I 

 regard the proportion between the size of the head of these 

 respective horses and that of their body as more or less 

 uniform. As the far greater size of the body makes the 

 body a much more useful means of comparison than the 

 head, it is more advisable, as a rule, to employ the 

 expression large-bodied or heavy-bodied, than big-headed ; 

 and small-bodied or light-bodied, than small-headed. This 

 form of classification is generally used by practical horse- 

 men. 



The subject of the size of a horse's head in comparison 

 to that of his body, needs further research, because 

 Professor Ewart tells me that those ponies of Iceland, 

 Hebrides and Faroe Islands which have no hind chestnuts, 

 have relatively small heads, and that those which have 

 these callosities, have relatively large heads. Also, the 

 head of Prjevalsky's horse (pp. 643 and 644) is relatively 

 larger than that of any other member of the horse family. 



From the foregoing remarks we may conclude, that no 

 breed of horses possesses any distinctive characteristic 

 which serves to distinguish it from other breeds, although 

 separate varieties may exist in any particular breed. As a 

 rule, locaHty (climate and soil^ see preceding chapter), 

 and artificial selection are the chief factors in the forma- 

 tion of breeds. 



