stallions have cherished the memory of the ideal saddle 

 horses they were.^ 



A peculiar fact : — - 



In spite of the results furnished by the racing, in spite 

 of the indications given by measurements, the most dis- 

 tinguished modern hippologists, Goubaux, Barrier, Jacou- 

 let, Le Hello, as well as their elders, have continued to 

 consider slope of shoulder and horizontality of croup to 

 be characteristics of the fast horse and to quote the 

 classics in support of their opinions. They seem not to 

 have realized the evolution v^hich has changed the race 

 horse into a specially built sprinter, unique in his gait, 

 and unique also in his model. 



Into the mass of our present-day thoroughbreds which 

 have suffered the change which we are studying, there 

 has slipped in each generation and as the result of a well- 

 known phenomenon of atavism, a few rare individuals 

 whose model recalls that of an ancestor. There are but 

 few chances that such a restricted number should contain 

 an animal of extraordinary powers; still there are to be 

 found among them a few who are not entirely lacking in 

 quality. Their mediocrity denies them success in class- 

 ical races of short and medium distances, but their con- 

 formation, which makes them at home over long dis- 

 tances, enables them sometimes to win in races like the 

 Prix Rainbow and the Prix Gladiateur. 



'The upright oroiip Is really advantageous only for sprinters, as we 

 have just shown, and for the high jump, especially for the standing 

 jump. The angle of incidence of the ischio-tibials is very favorable 

 from the beginning of the movement, and the quicljness of their con- 

 traction helps to make a very brilliant jump. 



^Note on the other hand, that in his " Principales donnes qui 

 servent de base 3. la connaissance du cheval," M. Le Hello says on 

 page 110, note 1 : 



" The direction of the scapular radius has not such a preponderat- 

 ing influence upon speed as has generally been thought. The direct 

 proof of this is given by Bruce, Michigan, Harley, etc., who were 

 performers of the highest class, although in their shoulders they were 

 most ordinary, not to say lacking." And on page 121 : 



" Although the shoulders are more horizontal in the runners, they 

 have a wider scapulo-hunieral angle, as a result of the relative ver- 

 ticality of the bone of the arm. It must be admitted, however, that 

 this characteristic has much more influence upon smoothness of gait 

 than upon speed." 



31 



