238 BLOOD, SYMMETRY AND COMPENSATIONS. 



heredity is specially shown in the working of the nerves, 

 which regulate the exhibition of all muscular force. Although 

 they can in no way increase the actual strength of a muscle, 

 its failure or success in putting forth its full power, and 

 also its speed of contraction, are dependent on them. 

 Hence, two horses of identically the same "make and shape" 

 (if such a thing were possible) might differ widely in pulling 

 power, handiness, or speed, on account of a want of similarity 

 in their nervous systems. We see this fact well marked 

 among men, in whom uncommon quickness and great 

 dexterity of muscular movement is often inherited. The 

 speed thus obtained from '* blood'' independently of confor- 

 mation, may be regarded as an outcome of heredity. In 

 judging, therefore, by a horse's conformation, of his suitability 

 to any particular kind of work, we should take into careful 

 consideration all the ** blood" points which he may possess. 

 The fact of a horse having Arab blood in his veins, is , in 

 itself, no reason for our inferring that he has a good *' turn of 

 speed " ; for Arabs, though charming hacks and admirable 

 light cavalry troopers, are not race-horses. 



It is noteworthy that thoroughbred stock which are allowed 

 (as they often are in the Colonies) to run wild, say, up to 

 four or five years old, before they are taken up, and which 

 are then put to ordinary labour, lose in a great measure the 

 blood-like appearance they might have possessed, had they 

 been handled early and put into training in the usual way. 



Symmetry is the conformance, as regards size, shape 

 and arrangement, of the various parts of the body to some 

 particular type of useful horse. 



In violation of this condition, we may have united in 

 the same animal the long legs and light body of the race- 

 horse, and the heavy head, loaded neck and thick shoulders 

 of the cart-horse ; or the contours of the race-horse, with the 

 exception of the loins being weak, and the hind legs short 

 with drooping croup. Even with the ordinary saddle-nag, 

 to say nothing of the hunter and officer s charger, we have 



