24^ THE TRUNK. 



Regarding the bones of the head, neck and withers as a 

 lever, which in this case is of an extremely complicated 

 nature, we find that the longer the neck, the greater is 

 the strain which the weight of the head places on the 

 ligamentum nuchce. Consequently, the spines of the withers 

 are more largely developed in horses which, like thorough- 

 breds, have long necks as compared to the size of their 

 bodies. Writing on The Rate of Growth in the Horse, 

 Professor Ewart points out that in the male wapiti, the 

 spines of the withers are long ; but in the female wapiti, 

 they are practically absent, because her head is not adorned 

 with horns, which, in her consort, are very heavy. We 

 have already seen (p. 184) that the length of the neck 

 corresponds to the length of the fore legs, and not to the 

 dimensions of the body. 



The Width of the Withers — constituting " thick withers " 

 or " thin (lean) withers," as the case may be — depends on 

 their apparent height ; actual thickness of the spines and 

 their cartilages ; size of the muscles of the part ; and the 

 amount of loose tissue about it. Although we cannot 

 expect leanness of withers in the cart-horse, the presence 

 of whose massive muscles that lie between the trunk and 

 shoulder-blades, separates the ends of the latter widely 

 asunder ; still it is a very desirable point in the saddle- 

 horse, as it indicates absence of an excess of connective tissue 

 (p. 30), lightness of fore-hand, and height of the withers 

 themselves. In this class of animal, very thin, high 

 withers are objectionable ; for they are liable to become 

 hurt by a saddle. We are all aware that when the part 

 is of this shape, it is difficult to keep the " gullet-plate " 

 of the saddle from touching it, however high this iron arch 

 may be ; the probable reason being, that such a con- 

 dition is usually associated, as might be expected, with 

 emaciation of the neighbouring muscles ; as for instance, 

 that which gives rise to the prominence (" saddle muscle," 

 see p. 270) behind the shoulder-blade, and behind 

 which the " points " of the tree of the saddle should rest. 



