136 ENGLAND'S HOESES, 



CHAPTER XII 



The Centre of Gravity Displaced. — Disorganization. — The 



Consequence. 



Although the principles arrived at by this train of reasoning are 

 illustrated and realized in the figure of action of the wild horse 

 of the Pampas, or of the desert, as we observe him pictured and 

 described in works of travellers ; and although in the figure and 

 action of other quadrupedsx which have not been subjected to 

 draught or burthen, such as the deer, the hare, the greyhound, 

 we observe they all use the fore legs for the purposes of support 

 only, and all in bringing up their propellers, overtake and support 

 the centre of gravity, attaining so to that beautiful balance of the 

 figure which gives such an air of grace and ease to their move- 

 ments ; yet, we rarely, if ever, find in the domesticated horse a 

 single one of those characteristics of action, which such a distri- 

 bution of his powers ought to produce. On the contrary, we find 

 him in almost every case thrown more or less on his forelegs, not 

 only for support, but for a false means of progression, to make up 

 for the deficient exercise of his true propellers ; and as the appli- 

 cation of any instrument in the economy of nature to purposes 

 for which it was not designed, it is necessarily punished with 

 disease. We rarely, if ever, find him free from blemish, while in 

 a majority of cases, defects, amounting almost to unsoundness, are 

 repulsively visible, crippling his movements, shortening the period 

 of his usefulness, and detracting from the pleasure and advantage 

 of his owner. 



