THE LIPS. 189 



observe the manner in which he gathers up his corn with them, and collects 

 together the grass before he divides it with his nippers, he will be satisfied that 

 the horse would be no more able to convey the food to his mouth without 

 them, than the human being could without his hands. This has even been put 

 to the test of experiment. The nerves which supply the lips were divided in 

 a poor ass, to illustrate some point of physiology. The sensibility of the 

 ftps was lost, and he knew not when he touched his food with them. The 

 motion of the lips was lost, and he could not get the oats between his teeth, 

 although the manger was full of them : at length, driven by hunger, he con- 

 trived to lick up a few of them with his tongue ; but when they were on his 

 tongue, the greater part of them were rubbed off before he could get them into 

 Ais mouth. 



It is on account of this use of the lips, and that they may be brought into 

 contact with the food without inconvenience or injury to other parts of the face, 

 that the heads of most quadrupeds are so lengthened. Several muscles go to the 

 Jips from different parts of the jaw and face. Some of them are shown in 

 the cut, p. 172. The orbicularis or circular muscle, jp, employed in pushing 

 out the lips and closing them, and enabling the horse to seize and hold his food, 

 is particularly evident; and in the explanation of the cut, the action of 

 other muscles, i, &, m, and o, was described. The nerves likewise, y, taking 

 their course along the cheek, and principally supplying the lips with the power 

 of motion, and those, #, proceeding from the foramen or hole in the upper jaw, 

 deserve attention. 



The lips are composed of a muscular substance for the sake of strength, and 

 a multitude of small glands, which secrete a fluid that covers the inside of 

 the lips and the gums, in order to prevent friction, and likewise furnish a por- 

 tion of the moisture so necessary for the proper chewing of the food. The skin 

 covering the lips is exceedingly thin, in order that their peculiar sensibility may 

 be preserved, and for the same purpose they are scantily covered with hair, 

 and that hair is fine and short. Long hairs or feelers, termed the beard, are 

 superadded with the same intention. The horse is guided and governed prin- 

 cipally by the mouth, and therefore the lips are endowed with very great 

 sensibility, so that the animal feels the slightest motion of the hand of the 

 rider or driver, and seems to anticipate his very thoughts. The fineness or 

 goodness of the mouth consists in its exquisite feeling, and that depends on the 

 thinness of this membrane. 



The lips of the horse should be thin, if the beauty of the head is regarded ; 

 yet, although thin, they should evidently possess power, and be strongly and 

 regularly closed. A firm, compressed mouth gives a favourable and no deceptive 

 idea of the muscular power of the animal. Lips apart from each other and 

 hanging down, indicate weakness or old age, or dulness and sluggishness. 



The depth of the mouth, or the distance from the fore-part to the angle of the 

 lips, should be considerable. A short protuberant mouth would be a bad finish 

 to the tapering face of the blood-horse. More room is likewise given for the 

 opening of the nostril, which has been shown to be an important consideration. 

 The bridle will not be carried well, and the horse will hang heavy on hand, if 

 there is not considerable depth of mouth. 



The corners or angles of the lips are frequently made sore or wounded by 

 the smallness, or shortness, or peculiar twisting of the snaffle, and the unne- 

 cessary and cruel tightness of the bearing-rein. This rein was introduced as 

 giving the horse a grander appearance in harness, and placing the head in that 

 position in which the bit most effectually presses upon the jaw. There is no 

 possibility of safely driving without it, for, deprived of this control, many horses 

 would hang their heads low, and be disposed every moment to stumble, and 



