4() AMEIilC.W MrSFJM CI' IDE I. KM' LETS 



such cxtraoidiiKiiA' i;ij)i(lit\- lliat we cannot he l)lin(i to the lact tliat lie 

 descends, for at least seven parts out of ei^lit, from the pure Arab,"' 

 which we would consider of Libyan origin, and indeed many admirers 

 of the Aiah would j2:ladly (eliminate the remaininj^ eighth of non-Arabian 

 blood. 



However the race horse of to-day is a veiy highly specialized animal, 

 certainly vastly different in appearance from the Arab and yet still more 

 widely separated from the draft-horse type. 



In July, 19()(), we were particularly fortunate in the gift from the late 

 Mr. .lames H. Keene, of the remains of one of America's most famous race 

 horses, together with sufficient funds for the preparation of the skeleton. 



This remarkable horse, ''Sysonby, " was foaled February 7, 1902, at 

 Mr. Keene's ( 'astleton stud in Kentucky, a few months after the importa- 

 tion from England of his dam *' Optima, " his sire being the English bred 

 '* Melton." His record is one of the most brilliant in the history of 

 American horse-racing. He w^on a remarkable series of victories between 

 his first race at Brighton Beach, July 14, 1904, as a two-year-old. and his 

 untimely death at four years (July 17, 1906). 



The skeleton (Fig. 29) has been mounted to show^ a phase in the 

 stride of the running horse, and is based on studies made from direct 

 observation and instantaneous photographs. The position is that of the 

 moment after the right fore foot has left the ground, and the right "knee' ' 

 or carpus, is beginning to bend; the succeeding footfalls in order are the 

 left hind, the right hind, the left fore and the right fore, the full length of 

 one complete stride being about twenty-six feet. 



At this instant the hind quarters are lifted perceptibly higher than 

 the shoulders and from a rear view it will be seen that while the hind feet 

 are thrust forward at this greater height from the ground, they are widely' 

 separated so as to avoid striking the fore.legte. A moment later the 

 shoulders will be lifted by the push of the fore feet higher than the hind 

 (]uarters, then the hind feet will move toward the median line and strike 

 the ground, and the fore feet will have moved forward out of the way of 

 the hind. 



The back})one is slightly arched to help drawtogether the fore and 

 hind Umbs and feet, and thus lengthen the stride and l)ring the back 

 muscles into play. When viewed from above, the backbone is also ob- 

 served to be curved a little to the right, owing to the forward position of 

 the left side of the pc^lvis and of the left hind limb; this also lengthens 

 and gives power to tlie stride^ as th(^ l)ackbone is straightcMied. 



'TorcHSTONK, S. V. Race Horses and TlioroiinhhriMl Stallions. 





I 



i 



