POINTS FROM WHICH THE PROPORTIONS ARE STUDIED. 403 



itself. Hi)\v can we judge of tlie amount of good breeding j)ossessed 

 bv a ffiven horse ? 



Two sources of indications enable us to do so : one of them refers 

 to characters drawn from the general conformation ; the other to the 

 external manifestations of the activity of the nervous system. 



The first is founded upon this fact, that the English and the 

 Arabian horses are constantly infusing better brccdino; into our com- 

 mon races. Whence it results that these agents of amelioration should 

 transmit to their descendants the principal features of their conforma- 

 tion as well as their " blood." 



The second results from this other consideration, that the " blood" 

 and the temperament, consisting in the intensity of the reflective 

 power, will be seen l)y the diiferent external states of the organs of 

 the senses, — sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. This last source of 

 information is sometimes the only one, — for example, when it is a 

 question of a common race, free from all mixed breeding, in which the 

 " blood" sprang into existence under the influence of the external con- 

 ditions only. Our own restrictions being made upon this point, and 

 the cases in question being, moreover, rather infrequent, we Mould say 

 that the qualities proper to the blood will be recognized by : 



A slender bodv of a stature generally tall ; a slender fio-nre, lono; 

 members, firm and long muscles, projecting, developed osseous promi- 

 nences ; a neat, light, square head ; a wide forehead ; movable ears and 

 nostrils; quick, expressive eyes; thin lips; a long, straight, pyramidal 

 neck ; prominent withers ; short back and loins ; long and horizontal 

 croup ; well-attached tail ; high and long chest ; slightly-developed 

 belly ; long and oblique shoulder ; thigh and buttock loAy ; leg and 

 forearm long ; straight hock ; short canon ; clean and well-detached 

 tendons ; feet rather small ; great nervous excitability ; thin and sensi- 

 tive skin ; scarceness of all the hairy productions ; the appearance of 

 the superficial venous system under the influence of the least exercise ; 

 the facility of reacting before all external excitement, even the slightest : 

 finally, a remarkable development of the intellectual faculties. 



These are the attributes of subjects descended from noble races, and 

 the proportion in which they will be observed in their metises (half 

 breeds) will also indicate the part which reverts to the ancestor in their 

 production. 



It may now^ be understood without difficulty what is meant when 

 a horse is said to have race, nobility (elegance, grace, pride) ; figiire 

 (distinction with fine lines) ; quality, breeding, fire, character (density 

 and compactness of the muscles, energy, vivacity, vigor) ; heart (ardor 



