It follows that this proportion, thus expressed, seems to exclude from every artistic representation certain categories of horses, which upon the whole might be regarded as beautiful, and the existence of which in any case it would be a pity not to indicate. [Illustration: FIG. 113.--HORSE OF WHICH THE LENGTH CONTAINS MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF TIMES THAT OF THE HEAD, AND OF WHICH THIS DIMENSION (A, B) EXCEEDS THE HEIGHT.] Let us examine at the outset that which is relative to the length of the body, equal to two and a half times the length of the head. This proportion is sometimes met with, and therefore may be considered exact; but it is necessary to add that its existence is not discoverable in the majority of cases. That for some authors it constitutes a perfect model we will not gainsay, but it is our impression that, when it exists, the head appears a little large, or, more exactly, the body a little short. Without attaining exactly to three times the length of the head, as some authors (Saint-Bel, Vallon) have announced, the body of the horse, nevertheless, measured as is stated above, frequently contains it more than two and a half times. We give in support of this some outline reproductions, executed after photographs (Figs. 112, 113, 114). There still remains the question regarding the equality of the height and of the length of the body of the horse. This equality, after the proportions previously indicated, would seem bound to appear in all the cases observed. Now, if we measure the examples reproduced in Figs. 112, 113, and 114, we shall see that sometimes the two dimensions are unequal, the height being greater than the length, or inversely. [Illustration: FIG. 114.--HORSE OF WHICH THE LENGTH CONTAINS MORE THAN TWO AND A HALF TIMES THAT OF THE HEAD, AND OF WHICH THIS DIMENSION (A, B) IS INFERIOR TO THE HEIGHT.] It is the same, if we examine a certain number of specimens; we are able to determine that the proportion chosen in preference by authors is not exactly that which is oftenest met with. It will, very probably, be objected that it is so for the most beautiful types, and that the indifferent ones are generally the more numerous. The essential thing would be to know, above all, if the type of two heads and a half of length and of height is really the only beautiful one. However that may be, of the fifty African horses measured by M. Duhousset, only fourteen possessed the equality indicated; twenty-six were less long than high, and ten more long than high.[68] [68] E. Duhousset, 'The Horse,' Paris, 1881. CHAPTER V THE PACES OF THE HORSE As a completion of the studies we have just been making, some notions relative to the paces of the horse seem to us to be absolutely indicated.