134 COMPARATIVE SHAPE OF HORSES, 



in the case of the galloper. To this I may reply that the 

 difference is due, not to the shape of the body, but to the 

 size of the muscles which attach the limbs to the body, and 

 which consequently partake of the massive character of the 

 legs. We must also remember that the pelvis is a portion of 

 the hind limb (p. 26). 



Limit of Height. — In all species of animals there appears 

 to be a limit of height which the respective members cannot, 

 as a rule, exceed, and at the same time retain strength, activity 

 and symmetry of form. We see this law well exemplified 

 in dogs, which can rarely vSurpass, say, thirty-four inches in 

 height, without becoming weak in the loins and clumsy in their 

 movements. For cart-horses, I shall put this limit at, say, 

 seventeen hands two inches ; and for race-horses at, say, six- 

 teen hands three inches. Besides this maximum, there is a 

 certain height which it is no benefit for a horse, from a useful 

 point of view, to exceed. Although, to employ an old saying, 

 ''a good big one will beat a good little one;" it is no 

 advantage for a racer, chaser, hunter, hack or light trapper 

 to be more than fifteen hands three inches, or a heavy cart- 

 horse to be higher than sixteen hands three inches. It is 

 an interesting fact that this standard of useful height varies 

 considerably in different breeds. I would put it approxi- 

 mately as follows r^English, North American, Australian, 

 and New Zealand thorough-bred and half-bred horses, fifteen 

 hands three inches ; ordinary South African horses, fifteen 

 hands; Arabs, fourteen hands two inches; East Indians 

 (country bred, without admixture of English blood) and 

 Basuto ponies, fourteen hands; Mongolian, Yarkundi, Spiti 

 and Bhootiah ponies, thirteen hands two inches ; Baluchi, 

 Herati and Cabuli horses, fourteen hands two inches ; Burma 

 and Deli ponies, thirteen hands; Manipuri ponies, twelve 

 hands. On Indian race-courses it has been proved, times out 

 of number, that an Arab of fourteen hands two inches is as 

 good as any other son of the desert, no matter how much he 

 may exceed that height. In fact, there have not been many 



