III. 



Nature is too strictly reasonable to maintain, that when 

 it creates a form, this form can be used indefinitely for 

 all kinds of service. We have already shown that the 

 horizontal croup was not that of the sprinter. We will 

 now examine the criticisms to which the croup is gen- 

 erally subjected, and the extent to which these criticisms 

 are justified. 



A. Influence of the Direction of the Croup upon the 

 Manner in which the Horse Supports Weight. 



The horizontal croup has frequently been reproached 

 with being less well constructed than the sloping croup 

 for bearing weight. This reproach is well founded. 



It appeared interesting to us to determine, at least in an 

 approximate way, the measure of this inferiority. 



Take the sketch herewith (Fig. lo). 



Fio. in> 



The line A B represents the spinal column, B C is the 

 direction of the ilium making with the horizontal an 

 angle a. 



The vertical B D represents that part of the weight of 

 the rider supported by the loin. 



52 



