386 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



inert part, the frame, and its active part, the wheels. These are the 

 relations which it remains for us to determine by applying them to the 

 horse. We will see in them at the same time the most general and 

 the most important characteristics of his conformation.- 



Height. The height of an animal is the elevation of its body 

 above the ground, the members having the altitude they usually take 

 during station. It is measured from the withers or from the croup, 

 two external points easily found when we are careful to take the 

 necessary precautions. (See Height.) 



Observations show that these points are situated upon the same 

 horizontal line or upon different levels. In the latter case, the horse 

 is said to be high or low in front according to the corresponding height 

 of the croup. There results evidently from this an abnormal distribu- 

 tion of the weight of the body upon the four extremities ; this, at least, 

 is the result of our measurements and our weighings. 



A lowering of some centimetres at the withers usually causes a 

 surcharge of the anterior members, and therefore modifies the condi- 

 tions of the equilibrium and the velocity of the gait. These draw- 

 backs increase in proportion to the burden carried on the back, which 

 is often added to the subject's own bulk. Lastly, the region of the 

 withers is more exposed, on account of its prominence, to contusions 

 and wounds caused by the harness. 



Inverse effects accompany the diminution of the height over the 

 croup. The hind-quarters, surcharged in their turn, are wanting in 

 action, and are obliged to use greater efforts; the hocks are soon 

 ruined. 



But these different disadvantages, with their grievous consequences, 

 manifest themselves only when the inequality in the height of the two 

 bipeds is very marked. When it is slight, it is but little perceived in 

 practice. Besides, it has not the same importance in all services. The 

 cavalry horse, the pack-horse, and the dray-horse, always heavily 

 loaded, will show the effects of being low in front much sooner than the 

 race-horse, the coacher, the trotter, or the light draught-horse. These 

 latter, on the contrary, in which speed is the main quality, suffer much 

 more from a defect in the hind-quarters ; an excess of height of the 

 croup over that of the withers is a favorable disposition in them, whilst 

 an equality of the height of the two bipeds is the best conformation in 

 the others. 



Many horses of good breeding and of great speed have the 

 croup considerably higher than the withers ; this conformation is 

 even very much appreciated by horsemen, especially in hunters and 



