93 



CHAPTER XL 



STATIONARY MOVEMENTS OF THE HORSE. 

 Lying Down and Getting Up— -Rearing — Kicking. 



Lying Dowrn and Getting Up. — ^When a horse pre- 

 pares to lie down, he wih bring all his feet well under his 

 body, while resting his weight chiefly on his hind legs. 

 After making a few tentative movements with his fore 

 limbs, he will gently lower his fore-hand until his knees 

 lightly touch the ground. He will then give his body a 

 twist, and will roll over, and rest, partly on his side and 

 partly on his breast-bone. Colin describes as follows the 

 position of the horse when lying down. As a rule, 

 if he is on his right side, for instance, the right 

 fore leg will be under the chest, with its foot facing 

 the inside of the left elbow. The other fore, equally 

 bent, but clear of the body, will have its foot close to 

 its own elbow, and there will be a space of about 

 twelve inches between the two knees. The hind limbs 

 will be bent up under the body, with the feet carried 

 to the front. The near hind will be far removed from 

 the side ; its hock will be on a line with the hip joint ; 

 and its hoof, with the point of the hock. The neck will 

 be raised, and the head will be inclined to the left side. 

 Sometimes the animal rests his lower jaw on the ground. 

 He may even, at certain moments, support his head on 

 the flank or hock, which is a favourite position with cattle, 

 buffalo and deer, when they have stopped ruminating, 



