79 
CONFORMATION AND ACTION, &C. 
IN THE FORE EXTREMITIES. 
, In the Shoulder, 
Its form and movements. 
IN THE HIND QUARTERS 
He considers— 
Its breadth. 
In the Croup, 
In the Tail, 
Its position, its dock, its carriage. 
In the Haunches, 
Their proportions. 
In the Thighs, 
Their conformation. 
In the Gaskins, 
Their length , their volume. 
In the Hocks, 
Volume,form, strength, internal (from one another) angle, sub - 
stance. 
In the Cannon: 
This, and the parts below it, should correspond to the body, 
and to the same or correspondent parts in the fore legs. 
From this account of the beauties and defects of the different 
parts of the body, considered separately and individually, 
Bourgelat proceeds to speak of the choice or selection of horses ; 
and he commences his instructions on this head w ith the following' 
true and salutary observations:— 
“ In every existing and known kind of species of animals, 
there is no individual free from deformities more or less appa¬ 
rent, more or less essential, and in greater or less number. 
Science, therefore, in the selection of animals, as it regards their 
external conformation, consists in distinguishing the natural or 
accidental defects of importance, and w hich affect the utility of 
the animal, from those which are but trifling and not appear to 
be prejudicial to him.’ 1 
The consideration of individual form and individual relative 
dimensions is naturally follow ed up by a view of the structure 
as a whole or one entire and inseparable piece, the harmony pf 
whose proportions, their unity, on one side constitutes its beauty , 
while on the other it indicates its serviceableness. Beauty and 
utility seem to go hand in hand. 
For instance, 
IN THE ARM, 
Are to be considered, 
lhe length, breadth, interspace between them, straight ness. 
