D E X T E E . 453 



line would not be necessary to point this out. The race 

 horse was " as thick through as a hay-stack " to use an 

 English expression, while the trotter, though showing n;> 

 want of substance, is rather more delicately formed. 



In giving these various measurements, it is not intended 

 to reduce the characteristics of conformation to mathemat- 

 ical rules, and thus try to fix an absolute guide to perfec- 

 tion of form. But from finding that a great majority of 

 first-class performers on the racing arena are "fashioned 

 after a particular pattern," it is fair to conclude, that the 

 fast trotter also has an outward reason patent to the 

 observing eye why he is capable of excelling in his man- 

 ner of progression. 



That Dexter 's form " approximates to the first-class race 

 horse" cannot be doubted by any one who will study 

 these comparative measurements, while his general ap- 

 pearance brings the parallel still closer. 



I found from a close examination of him in his stall 

 that this highbred appearance was more apparent than 

 when in harness, or when seeing him at speed on the 

 track, and I will now try to convey the idea of "what sort 

 of a looking horse is Dexter," a question I have heard 

 asked a thousand times. 



In color he is a brown, with shades of a lighter hue, the 

 more prominent parts being so light as to come under the 

 denomination of bay. This shading is very pleasing to 

 me, bringing into prominence the muscles, and softening 

 down the more angular portions of his frame. The white 

 marking in his face is different from any of the prints or 

 pictures that I have seen. In place of coming round more 

 under the left eye than the right, it narrows alike on both 

 sides, following truly down the nose nearly to the nostrils, 

 where it diverges, covering almost the whole of the upper 

 lip. The white legs are truthfully depicted in the engrav- 

 ino- His coat is silky, ths hair in the mane and tail being 



20 



