420 
BREEDING HORSES. 
must be beaten by the former, unless “ life and spirit of super- 
excellent kind” outdoes the former’s stride, by repetition of 
action, by increased muscular motion. Without this the 
latter is an indifferent racer, though adapted by form for a 
charger . We had an instance of this in the late Duke of 
Wellington’s charger, ‘ Copenhagen,’ any one can see his 
form was of the latter description, and by reference to the 
Illustrated London News , Nov. 20, 1852, £400 his losing 
account as a racer. The present system of racing did not 
deteriorate this horse for the subsequent purposes to which 
he was applied, for he had not speed enough as a racer to do 
himself injury, like speedier horses ; these are not by form 
adapted for chargers, which are required to bend the knees, 
and to bear fatigue under privations. ’ 
The late Professor Coleman, who, by-the-bye I delight to 
quote for his horse knowledge, albeit he was no practical 
horseman, in 1814, said, “ the cause of the increased lameness 
in the fore-feet of horses is our getting so much into the 
blood breed. When a man wanted to breed a horse, he looked 
only to the pedigree of the stallion, not to his form and 
action, whereas, if he wanted to breed a saddle horse, he should 
like him to bend his knees, not to go near the ground, the 
action of which is the result of racing form.” 
The late Mr. Apperley (Nimrod) was of the same opinion 
when he wrote, <£ it is the pace that is the cause of . lame- 
ness in the fore-feet.” The antecedent one w T as that of 
breed, which gave the “ pace.” 
Mr.W. Percivall sent a paper on “Conformation of Horses” 
to The Veterinarian, to which I would refer* the reader, but the 
number having been lent to me in India I have only a copy, 
which I thought it of importance to take, as I was then 
attached to- the stud department, and had opportunities of 
observing the truth of the doctrines therein stated. He 
w T rote, “ in confirmation of this,' how often does it happen 
first is 4 miles and about 380 yards, i. e., 7420 yards ; the second, is about 
6640 yards. Childers considered the swiftest horse ever known, has run 
the first course in seven minutes and a half ; and the second, in six minutes 
and forty seconds, which is at the rate of more than 49 feet in a second. 
Some race-horses cover at one bound about 24 feet (English). 
Now the swiftest Arabians, on the turf in India, have only done the fol- 
lowing, vide ‘Sporting Mag.’ 1829 : “3 miles, or 5280 yards, in six minutes 
and seven seconds, which is at the rate of only 42 feet in a second ; 
2 miles, or 3520 yards, in three minutes fifty-nine seconds, which is at the 
rate of only 44 feet in a second.’’ As the charge of cavalry is mathe- 
matically calculated, it is evident that English horses have the advantage of 
from 5 to 7 feet in a second. 
* Since reprinted, vide cover of ‘ Veterinarian. ’ 
