CHAP. I.] LONG BODIED. 55 



resting on the ground ; this is not always the case, 

 for his fore leg is as frequently held a-trip as his 

 hind one ; and we consider it the token alike of sore 

 foot, of tiresomeness, and of incipient founder. 



12. Besides the disproportion the fore and hind 

 legs bear to each other, another series of defects 

 in construction exists between the length of the 

 fore limbs and that of the trunk, being sometimes 

 most apparent at the belly and flank, at others on 

 the back, its tendency always depending on the 

 turn taken by the latter. Although this is the old 

 English way of judging of long carcased horses, 

 Lafosse took the measure of proportions more 

 properly from the breast-bone to the buttock, being 

 in the annexed plate from the parallel line 1 1 to 

 38 ; then comparing this with his height, he tells us 

 u a good horse, as we can learn from experience, 

 should be a tenth longer from the breast to the but- 

 tock than he is high from the top of the shoulder 

 to the ground." The latter admeasurement will 

 be found upon the annexed plate to extend from 

 the line [E to Z] and, with the former, will com- 

 pose a square rather wider than high, — the integu- 

 ments being removed from the bones on all sides. 

 Our notions of just proportion, however, differ from 

 the French standard, though they do not run into 

 the contrary extreme ; for we cannot help thinking 

 inordinate length of bod?/, as compared to a horse's 

 height, a very great defect as regards his health, 

 that form being invariably attended with meagre, 

 washy flanks, and a painful manner of going. But 



D 4 



