It is by this proprity of length, strength of carcase, and the
power of the muscles, that foreign Horse excel all others, and it
is by the same advantages they excel each other also, and not by
any innate virtue, or principle of the mind, which must be
understood by the word blood, if any thing at all is intended to
be understood by it; and this is a truth every man would be
convinced of, if he would divest himself of partiality to
particular blood, and confide in his own observation of Horses and
their performances.
Sedbury was an instance of this great power, in whom we find all
the muscles rising very luxuriant, and with a remarkable
prominence. The famous Childers was a like instance of it. These
two Horses were remarkably good, but we have been absurd enough to
condemn the blood of both at various times; in one, because he had
bad feet, and entailed that defect on the generality of his
offspring; in the other, because most people who bred from that
lineage, were running mad after a proper cross, when they should
have been employed in thinking only of propriety of shape.
I am very far from desireing to be thought a superior judge of
this animal, but I will be bold to say, that according to these
principles of length and power, there never was a Horse (at least
that I have seen) so well entitled to get racers as the Godolphin
Arabian; for whoever has seen this Horse, must remember that his
shoulders were deeper, and lay farther into his back, than any
Horse's ever yet seen; behind the shoulders, there was but a very
small space; before , the muscles of his loins rose excessively
high, broad, and expanded, which were inserted into his quarters
with greater strength and power than in any Horse I believe ever
yet seen of his dimensions.
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