84 
CONFORMATION AND ACTION, &C. 
if it is not possible to find two horses that perfectly resemble 
each other; we cannot pretend to assign any one form preferably 
to another as the rule of beauty for the horse. Any scale of 
beauty, or rather proportion , can only be formed upon that me¬ 
chanical construction of the animal, from which result the pos¬ 
sibility and extent of those motions by means of which he is 
enabled to transport himself from one place to another with 
greater or less speed.” 
Sainbel regarded the frame of Eclipse, as <c almost perfect.” 
Yet it w r as found to differ from the French standard in the fol¬ 
lowing important respects: viz. 
Instead of the standard “ three heads,” Eclipse measured 
three and a half heads, from the foretop to the ground. 
Eclipse’s neck measured half as long again as that of the 
standard. 
The height of the body (the standard informs us) should be 
equal to its length; that of Eclipse exceeded the length 'by 
one-tenth. 
The toe should maintain a perpendicular line with the stifle: 
the toe of Eclipse stood half a head behind this line. 
The distance from the elbow to the knee greatly exceeded the 
measure from the elbow to the ground: whereas, in the stand¬ 
ard these measurements are co-equal. 
In viewing these differences, however, proper allowance ought 
to be made for the circumstances attending their formation. It 
must be remembered that Eclipse was a race-horse—and a racer , 
too of the purest blood, he having descended, originally, from 
Arabian stock: whereas, France not being a country productive 
of such a breed, the French standard must be regarded as appli¬ 
cable rather to the hack or hunter, or even the cart-horse. 
On the subject of the outline, volume, and proportions of dif¬ 
ferent parts of an animal body (which, together, may be said to 
constitute the science of “ Exterior Conformation”), I would 
observe, that it is a study which, unless properly based and qua¬ 
lified, may lead us into serious error and misconception. As well, 
in my opinion, might a person argue of the excellence of a 
chronometer from its superficial aspect as pretend to determine 
absolute speed or strength from exterior conformation alone . 
Unless a know ledge of the interior be combined with that of the 
exterior—unless texture, organization, and nerve be taken into 
the account, little benefit can result from such superficial ex¬ 
aminations. Sainbel seems conscious of this, when he writes 
“ There can be no doubt but that of two horses of the same size, 
the one may be speedier than the other because the texture of 
the organs may be compact and close in the one, arid weak and 
