90 



making E D equal to A E, we form with the base the square 

 A E D C, which would inclose the whole horse. (A series of experi- 

 ments has induced M. Vallon, the veterinary, to think that the 

 length of a horse might exceed his height by a fifth.) Afterwards 

 we measure on the same vertical line A B, a length equal to three 

 heads and one third, which gives us the distance from the nape to 

 the ground. At the point B we form with the line A B an angle of 

 45deg., the half of a right angle, which gives us the position of the 

 head in a natural attitude — that is to say, the attitude of a blood 

 horse when aroused by any cause whatever. To have the direction 

 of the crest, we trace B F perpendicularly to the line B G, the 

 direction of the head, and the point F. at the intersection of the line 

 B F with the horizontal line E D, will be the top of the withers, for 

 B F is of the length of a head, and one-sixteenth the proportion 

 adopted by Bourgelat. At the point F, the top of the withers, we 

 draw F K, parallel to the line of the head, and we obtain the 

 position of the shoulder-blade. 



" To get at the correct position of the arm. at the point K, we 

 draw the line K I, parallel to B F, in the direction of the chest. 

 Adopting the principle of Bourgelat, that there should be the length 

 of a head from the withers to the loins, we trace upon the horizontal 

 line E D the length of the head, F L ; the point L determines the 

 point of the hip-bone ; and, tracing a parallel through the point L, 

 in the direction of the heart, we reach the height of the haunch, 

 L H, and subsequently the point of the thigh running the point H. 

 Let us here remark, that the point H does not represent the point 

 of the buttocks, but merely the intersection of the haunch and 

 thigh-bone. The line P R shows the direction of the leg-bone. 

 To attain its true direction we say that the proportions admitted 

 by Bourgelat are the length of a head from the point of the 

 haunch to the knee-pan, by a vertical line. Measuring, therefore, 

 the length of the head upon this vertical line, from L, the bone of 

 the haunch, we draw at the extremity, P. of this line, a parallel 

 to one of the three points of the fore-shoulder, or haunch. This 

 will determine the bone of the leg — or, rather, this line, P R, 

 will be the tangent to the fore part of the knee-pan, and passes 

 the centre of the ham. 



" We have drawn the line ' o 5 ' at the angle of 45deg. from 

 the ground, and shown the natural position of the pastern-bone ; 

 this line being extended, crosses, at a right angle, the direction 

 of the leg, taking the two, P R and 'o ^,' to represent two equal 

 forces, viz., muscular contraction, and the resistance of the earth." 



