EASTERN HORSES. 87 



The deep chest and short legs for cavalry marches in 

 India, and taking cross country as it comes in England 

 and Ireland, are very different things. Length and 

 power of limb in proportion to the size of the body are 

 necessary in taking great leaps, and for heavy riding 

 through plowed fields. A long leg is not a sign of weak- 

 ness, as Nolan has it, if the body is deep in proportion. 

 The difference between the build of men compared with 

 that of women is evidence of this. The man is intended 

 for strength and activity ; for this, his body is short, 

 shoulders broad and legs long; while, on the contrary, 

 the woman has a long body, narrow shoulders, wide hips 

 and short legs. The woman sits higher than the man, 

 while the man stands higher than she does. Her body is 

 long and large to facilitate child-bearing and the pro- 

 duction of nourishment for her offspring ; while the 

 man's body is large and muscular, and placed upon long 

 legs to give him lever power. If, therefore, according to 

 Nolan's idea, long legs are a sign of weakness, the whole 

 structure of men must undergo a transformation to ren- 

 der them stronger and more physically serviceable. But 

 we are satisfied with the English horse as he is, and 

 while he can jump and carry his rider over six feet six 

 inches we will not change his contour. To show hov\^ 

 fixed nature is in her laws in this respect, a man, although 

 half a woman, never partakes of her peculiar formation, 

 because, if he did, he would be rendered useless for the 

 purposes for which he was physically intended. 



No length or size is a sign of weakness if every other part 

 is in proportion. For certain purposes we must always 

 sacrifice something. If these two horses exchanged 

 places, countries and services, both might be failures. If 

 we can judge of the build of the horses of the ancient 

 Eomans by the Koman sculptures and pictures we see 

 copied from paintings on walls, and the numerous hiero- 

 glyphics on mettle and stone, the horses were small and 



