16 THE HORSE 



I 



by St. Bel, it will appear that there is some considerable variation from 

 those of that celebrated horse, which he is said to have measured during 

 life, and to have also checked his dimensions after death. Thus, though 

 Eclipse was very low before, and yet was sixty-six inches high, his head 

 was tv/enty-two inches long, being the same as the average length of the 

 six horses given by myself, though they are three inches lower at the 

 withers, and at least five inches lower at the croup. Again, though thus 

 shown to be particularly short, it must have been of extraordinary width ; 

 for, according to the same authority, it measured one foot across helow^ the 

 eyes ; but, as Mr. Percivall remarks, this must be a mistake for above the 

 eyes. Indeed, I cannot help thinking, in accordance with the opinions of 

 the above distinguished English veterinarian, that in other respects " there 

 appears some discordance in his admeasurements " of Eclipse. Nevertheless, 

 it may safely be assumed, according to Mr. Percivall's summing up, that " he 

 was a big horse in every sense of the word ; he was tall in stature, lengthy 

 and capacious in body, and large in his limbs. For a big horse his head 

 was small, and partook of the Arabian character. His neck was unusually 

 long. His shoulder was strong, sufficiently oblique, and though not re- 

 markable for, not deficient in, depth. His chest was circular. He rose 

 very little in his withers, being higher behind than before. His back was 

 lengthy, and over the loins reached. His quarters were straight, square, and 

 extended. His limbs were lengthy and broad, and his joints large, in 

 particular his arms and thighs were long and muscular, and his knees and 

 hocks broad and well formed." 



The scale which I have given likewise differs in many particulars, though 

 only slightly, from that which is usually found in treatises on the horse ; 

 but I have preferred trusting to Nature herself I'ather than to the observ- 

 ations of previous writers, which may be consulted by the reader at any 

 time. 



MATURITY 



The horse completes his dentition at five years old, when he may be 

 said to be mature. At eight or nine years the lower teeth lose their marks, 

 or black concavities, after which there is no reliable evidence of age, which 

 can however be tolerably accuratel}'- guessed at from the length of the front 

 teeth or nippers, and from the general appearance of the horse, especially 

 about the eyes, as will be hereafter shown. 



Mares are very commonly allowed to breed in their third year, 

 being put to the horse as two-year olds. They often, however, come " in 

 season " as yearlings, and many would then breed if allowed to be covered. 

 It is found by experience that the foal robs the dam of some part of the 

 nourishment which is destined by nature to develop the maternal frame, 

 and hence the young mare is injured in size and substance if she breeds 

 before she has come vei'y near to maturity. 



AVERAGE AGE 



The average age of the horse, when allowed to live without the risk 

 of accidents and disease which he incurs in his usual work, is about 



