■PROPORTIONS AND MECHANICS OF THE HORSE 



29 



The unit of proportions. — In a study of the proportions 

 of the horse, the length of the head is taken as the unit. 

 This is because the head varies less, perhaps, than any 

 other part and its length is easily obtained, as the boun- 

 daries are clearly defined. It is interesting to note that 

 the total height of the horse from the crest of head to 

 the ground is equal to about three head lengths ; that the 

 height from the withers and from the croup to the ground, 



FIG. 15.— A STUDY IN PROPORTIONS 



as well as the total length of the horse from the point of 

 the shoulders to the buttocks, is about 2>4 head lengths ; 

 and that the length of the neck from poll to withers, the 

 length of the shoulder from the withers to the point at 

 the elbow, the thickness of the body from side to side, 

 and the depth of the body from back to the abdomen, is 

 equal to about one head length. 



Dimensions of articular angles. — Besides the relations 



