But there is another reason why many of the very finest of these
foreign Horses cannot race: our observations of them will shew us,
that though their shoulders in general exceedingly incline
backwards, yet their fore-legs stand very much under them; but in
different Horses this position is more or less observable. This,
(when I considered the laws of nature) appeared to me the greatest
imperfection a Stallion could possibly have: but when this
gentleman informed me it was the custom of the Turks always to
keep each fore-leg of the Horse chained to the hinder one, of each
side, when not in action, I no longer considered it as a natural,
but an acquired imperfection. Shall we now wonder that such an
one, though ever so well made in other respects, cannot race in
spite of all his blood? But the custom of the Arabs in this
respect, he says, his memory does not extend to. I well remember
this to be the case of the Godolphin Arabian when I saw him, who
stood bent at knees, and with his fore-legs trembling under him:
such is the case of Mosco's grey Horse in some degree. In our
country we frequently see Horses stand pawing their litter under
them with their fore-feet; our custom to prevent it is to put
hobbles on their fore-legs, and this will produce the same
position in a greater or less degree, though not so conspicuous as
in some of those foreign Horses, who have been habituated from
their youth to this confined method of standing. His royal
highness the duke of Cumberland has a very remarkable instance of
this, in a Horse called Muley Ishmael, which is otherwise, the
most elegant Horse I ever yet beheld. Whether this positiion is
natural or acquired, will be best determined by his produce.
Suppose now this Horse should be tried, and found no racer, shall
he be condemned as a Stalliion, and the fault imputed to his