32 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



must overcome resistance by the mass and the power of their effort ; 

 v/hilst we seek a more elevated and narrower body, a longer neck, a 

 light head, long bones, — in a word, a smaller mass and more subtle and 

 extended movements, — for the rapid motor. These are beauties rela- 

 tive to these two kinds of utilization, which would become prejudicial 

 if instead of being applied to one they were applied to the other. 



B. — Defects. 



The word defect is, in its etymology, the opposite of beauty. It 

 characterizes the want of adaptation of the thing to the end for which 

 it is destined. 



Defects are absolute, relative, congenital, or acquired. 



Absolute defects are causes for the rejection of the horse, for they 

 are injurious to every kind of utilization. Thus, a flat costal region 

 lessens the capacity of the chest, flat feet render the application of the 

 shoe difficult and expose the foot to contusions of the heels and the 

 sole ; a retracted abdomen indicates a capricious appetite ; slender 

 members are soon ruined ; small articulations diminish the extent of 

 the movements ; unstable equilibrium predisposes to falls, to excessive 

 use of the members, etc. These are so many absolute defects. 



On the contrary, defects are relative when they only injure the em- 

 plo^'ment of a horse for a determined service. A concave back is 

 defective for the pack-saddle ; a croup too oblique and a very large 

 chest will not be suitable for the rapid gaits, whilst they are aot preju- 

 dicial in the draught-horse ; the same is true of the low withers and 

 ^Jie high withers, the horizontal croup and the double croup, etc. It 

 is apparent, then, from these examples, that what is a beauty for one 

 service may become a defect for another. 



Congenital defects are those which the horse possesses at birth ; 

 acquired defects, those which are the result of his utilization. 



A knee-sprung horse — that is to say, one whose knee is naturally 

 displaced forward — is affected with a congenital defect ; whilst, if this 

 defect be the result of usage, he is said to be possessed of an acquired 

 defect. Most defects are malformations w^hich the animal possesses at 

 birth, and are therefore of a congenital nature ; however, there are a 

 large number which he acquires through work. 



C. — Blemishes. 



It is difficult to give a good definition of the word blemish, be- 

 cause the first condition to fulfil in order to define a thing is that the 

 thing itself be defined in the literal sense of the word. At this present 



