THE DOMESTIC HORSE. 195 



the endurance and speed of the English horse, after 

 generations of disparagement, is at length, though 

 unwillingly, admitted; and to obtain horses simi- 

 larly constituted is an evident desire of many, 

 who with amusing circumlocutions endeavour to 

 stave off the unpalatable truth of their undeniable 

 superiority. Comparing the blood-horse with the 

 magnificent cart-horses of England, we find even 

 greater difference in their respective beauties, and 

 yet neither the racer nor the last mentioned pos- 

 sess the characters best suited for a war-horse, 

 nor for the road and other mixed purposes ; hence 

 beauty in horses is a relative term, and must de- 

 pend upon modifications adapted for particular pur- 

 poses. 



A horse of the usual standard is now considered 

 to attain the height of fifteen or fifteen hands and 

 a half. In the east of Europe they range usually 

 from below fourteen to fifteen hands. The gestation 

 of mares lasts about eleven months, though some- 



7 O 



times the time is less by thirty-five days, and at 

 others extended to forty-one or forty-two days be- 

 yond it ; and foals are born usually in April and 

 May. They see and have the use of their limbs 

 shortly after birth, they are then short-bodied and 

 short-necked animals, and very high on the legs ; 

 they are frolicsome and sport about the mother, 

 scratching their own ears with the hind- legs, and 

 astonishing the stallion, if perchance he can ap- 

 proach, for the gambols of the colt set him on his 

 mettle, his crest rises, his tail is flung up, he snorts 



