POINTS OF THE HORSE. 



1 IKST PRINCIPLES Ot CONFORMAflON. 



Animals of Speed and Animals of Stiength— Comparative Conformation — 

 Maiey's La\A 



Animals of Speed and Animals of Strength, — When 

 we speak of the conformation of a horse, we refer to the 

 adaptability of his body for general or special work. We 

 all know, without the aid of science to tell us, that a light- 

 boned thoroughbred would be as unsuitable to carry a 

 fifteen-stone man, as a thick-set cob would be to win a five- 

 furlong race. The *^weed'' would not fail, necessarily, from 

 deficiency in weight of bone and muscle , for there are 

 many ponies of thirteen hands or under, which would weigh 

 no more than the slender T. Y. C. performer, and yet could 

 bear the welter burden through a long day*s journey, with 

 ease to themselves and comfort to their rider. The failure 

 to carry weight m the one case, and the inability to display 

 a high degree of speed in the other, would obviously be due 

 (in the absence of any particular defect) to the fact of the 

 conformation of the animal not being suitable to the kind of 

 work to which he was put. In our study of the '*make and 

 shape" of horses, we may profitably begin by taking a 

 comparative view of animals of great speed and those of 



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