36 FLAT-RACING EXPLAINED. 



the hindquarters at aii angle for speed, to be cor- 

 rectly described, was in itself almost a "freak of 

 nature." 



What La Fleche displaj'ed in physical conforma- 

 tion, more especially in construction of frame, she 

 exhibited in action, when fully extended. Her 

 stride, in point of length, was a thing to be remem- 

 bered for the rest of one's life as quite abnormal in 

 any race-horse. iDiff ering from other horses in this 

 respect, it was unrestricted by gradient or by the 

 state the ground hapi>ened to be in. A new stride 

 followed an expended one with such rapidity that 

 I can alone describe it to have been like a "flash of 

 lightning." 



When this grand mare shall have ended her days, 

 having left, as we hope, some specimens of progeny 

 to enrich our strains of the thoroughbred, as well 

 possibly as to emulate her glorious deeds on the 

 turf, it is also to be hoped that her respected and 

 popular owner may then be induced, in the cause 

 of equine anatomical science, to have her skeleton 

 preserved. And not only preserved, but, above all, 

 anatomically notated, showing both the weight and 

 the measurement, particularly of the spinal struc- 

 ture, that it may hereafter afford a standard guide 

 (on the female side) in point of frame to the high- 

 est excellence in the thoroughbred and iu a racp^ 

 liprse, 



