226 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE TRUNK. 



General View of the Trunk — Chest and Ribs — Abdomen — Withers — Breast — Back 

 and Loins — Points of the Hips — Flank— Croup — Anus — Tail. 



General View of the Trunk. — We have seen on 

 p. i8o, that as the work which the organs contained in 

 the trunk (heart, lungs, hver, spleen, stomach, intestines, 

 kidneys, etc.) have to do, is the same, whatever m.ay 

 be the kind of horse ; the shape of the trunk will not, 

 generally, be affected by class distinctions. Hence, the 

 conformation of trunk which is, for instance, most suit- 

 able for a Derby winner, will be that which is best 

 for a cart-horse. In laying down this general rule, I 

 must make an exception of the withers (p. 238), which 

 are concerned in mechanical work, and not in the perform- 

 ance of any vital function. Although the shape of 

 the horse's body remains constant — without, of course, 

 taking mto consideration individual peculiarities — the 

 bones which make up the entire structure should agree 

 as to thickness with those of the legs ; for several of 

 the muscles which are attached to them, are also attached 

 to the limbs. It has already been remarked that the 

 strength of a muscle more or less regulates the thickness 

 of the bone to which it is fixed. 



When referring to race-horses in this connection, I 

 am taking into consideration only those of high class, 

 namely, horses which can gallop, stay and carry weight, 

 like Ormonde (Frontispiece), Isonomy, Robert the Devil, 

 Bendigo (Fig. 50) and St. Gatien. When only speed 



