SECTION SEVENTH. 



THE APTITUDES OR THE SERVICES. 



The horse's strength is employed in moving burdens placed upon 

 his back through the agency of the saddle or the pack-saddle, or 

 dragged along the ground, either directly or by means of particular 

 vehicles on wheels, or hauled on the surface of the water. 



In other words, he carries or he jjulls ; exceptionally, he does both 

 at the same time. In both cases the effort to be made depends in 

 great measure upon the weight of the burden, the velocity with which 

 it is moved, and the consistency and inclination of the surface upon 

 which it rests. 



From this point of view, we should primarily establish two prin- 

 cipal categories : saddle-horses and harness-horses. Practically, how- 

 ever, these would be insufficient, and would confound aptitudes which 

 it is important to distinguish. The special exigencies of luxury, the 

 army, commerce, industry, and agriculture evidently require some 

 degree of specialization ; again, we must not lose sight of those require- 

 ments Avhich relate to the reproduction of the species. 



Therefore we will divide the services into four principal chapters. 

 In the first we will study the race-horse, whose pecuniary value is the 

 most considerable; in the second we will treat of horses of luxury ; in 

 the third, cavalry horses ; finally, in the fourth, horses for industrial and 

 commercial purposes, whose average value is generally inferior to that 

 of the preceding. 



We will add that, according to his category, the horse is constantly 

 utilized as an animal of force or of speed and, more rarely, as a mixed 

 motor. All things being equal, it follows that his height and bulk 

 should, before all other attributes, constitute the principal elements 

 by which to class him in such or such a group, because these elements, 

 united to the bulk and elevation of the vehicles, are in direct relation 

 with the extent or intensity of the muscular contraction, the greatness 

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