PROPORTIONS OF THE HORSE. 347 



The following proportions are approximately correct for 

 all horses, except those of the heavy cart type, whose necks 

 are particularly massive [see PL 19) : — 



(8) Width of head {7/1 n) = width of upper part of neck {n 0). 



(9) Distance {k p) of top of head to corner of mouth = thickness of 



base of neck {q r). 



Any attempt — as has frequently been made — to formulate 

 proportions of length between the limbs and body of what 

 might be called an "ordinary horse," would be merely 

 begging the question by constructing an ideal animal to 

 conform to one's own theories ; instead of, as one ought to 

 do, supporting one's hypotheses on the firm basis of fact. 

 As the comparative length of limb varies according to the 

 class of horse ; we find {see Chapter XV.), taking the two 

 extreme types, that the legs of the heavy cart-horse are far 

 shorter than those of the racer (compare PI. 19 with Frontis- 

 piece). Thus, the length of the body and its depth at the 

 withers in the former, are, respectively, several inches more 

 than the height, and the distance of the brisket from the 

 ground. The racer, on the contrary, is inclined to be shorter 

 than he is high, and measures much less from the withers to 

 brisket than from brisket to ground. 



As the result of my own observations I may add the 

 following proportions for thoroughbreds only : — 



(10) Height at withers {c d) = length of body {a b), or a Uttle (say, up 



to 4 inches) more. 



(11) Depth at withers {c e) = distance of "girth place" to lower part of 



fetlock in a three-year-old, or to centre of pastern in an " aged " 

 horse. 



Beyond repeating [see p. 160) that the muscles of the neck 

 should be proportionate in length to those of the limbs, I 



