Eassie — Some Variations in the Skeleton of the Domestic Ho 



329 



It will be evident also that elegance of carriage is affected adversely by the 

 very long spine and the excessive vertical curvatures. It will be manifest, 

 moreover, that the carriage of the body to the best advantage is necessary to 

 the freedom of movement of the fore limbs. Finally, only with open angles 

 in both the fore and hind limbs can there be due length and rapidity of stride 

 and co-ordination between the limbs. 



The figures (Plates XYI. to XX.) of different races of horses, exliibiting 

 striking variability of the lengtli of the spine and of the fore and hind limbs 

 respectively, illustrate my remarks on this subject. 



Plate XIX., fig. 2, represents the first cross of an Arab with a South 

 African pony, showing the short head and spine of the Arab, tlie balance of 

 the body, and the racial defect of this breed in tlie bent hind leg.s. That tlie 

 Arab is a slow pony is notorious. I contend that the reason is to be found 

 in this defect. In this ease tlie same fault existed undoubtedly in the dam, 

 and remains therefore uncorrected in the progeny. 



Plate XX., fig. 1, represents an English thoroughbred horse by St. Simon 

 — Eowena, showing the short head and spine of the Arab. In some strains 

 of the English thoroughbred this character is apparently beginning to be 

 lost; and in this breed the short humerus is a fixed character. It is 

 apparently also a dominant character. As balance is the first quality in the 

 saddle-horse, the importance of direct descent on one side from the English 



SCIENT. PROG. K.D.S., VOL. XII., NO. XXVII. 3 G 



