Conclusion. 195 



essential for the establishment of a thorough good breed 

 of horses, that our own is imperfect and deficient in blood, 

 the only true way of meeting the difficulty, the only 

 effectual one, the least expensive, and the quickest, is 

 to start afresh with pure Arabian blood. Starting from 

 a sure foundation (purity of blood), we have only to 

 educate and develope excellences. There is no doubt 

 horses of pure Arabian blood, bred in this country, 

 would attain to a larger size ; and there is every reason 

 to believe the increase would be in due proportion, 

 thereby insuring with the size increase of speed and 

 strength. The increase of size or height obtained by 

 our present thorough-bred horse has not been in pro- 

 portion ; it has led to many exaggerations. The increase 

 of height from 14^ hands to 16 hands has been accom- 

 plished by greater length of limb. This, again, as a 

 rule, has been owing to a greater length of cannon bone, 

 without a corresponding length of radius or arm. 

 Here is a great mechanical disadvantage. We will 

 suppose two horses of equal height and power ; the 

 moral qualities, such as temper, courage, and nervous 

 energy, also equal ; but one shall be an inch longer in 

 the cannon bone than the other, although the relative 

 length of the fore legs shall be the same. The horse 

 with the shorter cannon bone, and therefore longer 

 radius, must, of necessity, be a speedier horse, and not 

 only speedier, but, because the one has a great mechani- 

 cal advantage, he would be a more lasting horse. In- 

 crease of height thus obtained may have been one of 

 the causes of an increase of speed in the English racer 



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