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ARAB MEASURING SYSTEM » Australian Veterinary Discloses Quick Way of Gauging Class. • llrusiirrmrnts Which Show Balance of Thoroughbred AVill Give Index to His Abilities • Dr. Stewart McKay, an Australian veterinarian, writing in the Sydney Referee, advances a novel theory regarding measurements of horses as a guide to racing ability. 3Iis article follows: Some weeks back the Referee published the measurements made recently in New Zealand of Gloaming. As I was curious to compare these figures with those of his great rivai. Beauford, I wrote to his trainer, S. Killick. and asked him if lie would give me the measurements required. On receiving my letter he requested Mr. Davis, a graduate of the Sydii y university in veterinary surgery, to make the measurements. A few-days ago PeeeMoa of the Sun published measurements nude of Rivoli, and so we are now abltt to compare the figures of three sTreat bene*. Before going further I might explain that the idea is one that W. Muggridge put forward in his book on the race horse, having 1 arned it from an Arab, You run the tape "from the bones upper lip up his face and between the ears to the middle of his wither; that gives us the first measurement. Then, to obtain the second one, you measure from the middle of the wither along his back to the last joint of his tail. If the two arc ejual the horse-; balance is perfect, and it is suggested that the nearer they are to equality the better are the horses prospects of winning races. diamine Renufonl Rivoli. Inch -s. Inches. Inches. Fpp*r lip to rai.Mle of withers 64V± 69 65 HiiMIe of withers to last Isst joint of tail «V,i, 69 0.V, We see by the above figures that Beauford conforms to the Arab test. I am able to add the following additional figures: Gloaming Beauford Inches. Inches. Ijer.gth of head center of ears to tip of lower lip 28 28% Oirtu 73% 74 I.elow kne Si, 9 Hip to hock r.9*t 40 Hock to fetlock 17, 18% Hock to coronet 22i 234 As regards Gloamings height, there appears to be a difference in the figures given. In the original article published by Antis-thenes in the Weekly Press Christehureh. N. Z. he did not give Gloamings height. Later it wis said to be 1.1. 2 1-2, but K. J. Mason informed Antisthenes that Gloamings correct height was 15.3 1-2. Therefore the heights are : Itivoll H hands 3 In. USNMBdSg.. lj hands. 3 -j in. Jiiaufoid 10 hands, 2 In. a
