PROPORTION OF BONES IN A HORSE'S SKELETON 395 



the hocks somewhat straight. The socks and the legs are 

 black, shading into the lighter colours above. The black hoofs 

 are hard and durable, and resemble more the elongated hoofs 

 of the Arab than the rounder and flatter feet of the cart 

 horse. The action is free and springy, somewhat similar to 

 the indiarubber-like bound of the zebra. 



In the wild state they are timid and difficult to approach, 

 and fleet of foot to escape from danger ; but at Woburn, 

 although much more intelligent, they have assumed the 

 confidence of domesticated horses that have not been broken, 

 and one even permits itself to be handled and examined. 



Although the relative proportions of certain bones of the 

 skeleton of the domesticated horse differ considerably, to 

 enable them to conform to the different kinds of work for which 

 the different classes of horses are adapted, the general plan 

 of the structure is the same throughout. 1 The central spinal 

 column is made up of the atlas and axis (the first and second 

 vertebrae from the head), five other vertebrae of the neck, 

 eighteen of the back, six of the loins, five of the croup 

 (sacrum)^ and from thirteen to twenty of the tail. All have 

 joint movement except the segments of the croup, which are 

 anchylosed in the adult animal. The withers are elevated by 

 the upright spines of seven or eight dorsal vertebrae behind 

 the first, the summit conforming to that of the fifth. Withers 

 that are high and extend far back are generally associated 

 with a good carriage of the head and neck, free movement of 

 the shoulders, long and sloping shoulder blades, and strength 

 in the back and loins. It is a drawback to a hunter to be 

 higher behind than at the withers, because too much strain is 

 then put on the fore legs. Although the withers should be 

 the same height as the croup in the race-horse, they may be 

 2 or 3 inches higher with advantage in the hunter, as this 

 indicates a light forehand, and consequently greater facility in 

 taking off and getting away after landing. Low withers are 

 usually correlated, as in many mountain ponies, with heavy, 

 short, and perpendicular shoulders. The chief function of the 

 withers is to " afford attachment for the suspensory ligament 

 of the head and neck, for muscles which extend the head 



1 The following notes are given with acknowledgments to Hayes' 

 Points of a Horse^ published by Hurst & Blackett, Limited, 1904. 



