Section I 

 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE 



DIVISIONS AND POINTS OF THE HORSE 



The body of the horse may be primarily divided into three parts, 

 namely, 1, the Head; 2, the Trunk; and 3, the Extremities. The first 

 two are so disposed as to form cavities in which are lodged the various 

 organs essential to life, as the brain, heart, lungs, organs of digestion, &c. 

 The head comprehends those portions forming the skull and the face — 

 parts anterior to the neck. The trunk, which makes up the chief bulk of 

 the body, is divisible into — 1, the spine, which extends from the head 

 backwards to the tail; 2, the thorax or chest; and 3, the abdomen or belly. 

 The extremities are movable supports of the l)Ocly. The two in front 

 (fore extremities) extend from the top of the shoulders to the feet, the 

 two behind (hind extremities) from the hip-joints to the feet. 



Viewed externally, each of these several regions presents a number of 

 parts, which for convenience of description are distinguished by special 

 names, some of which are based on anatomical considerations, while others 

 are of common origin, and more or less familiar to all horsemen. Of the 

 two sides of the body, it is usual to speak of the left as the " near " side, 

 being the one on which the rider mounts and dismounts, and the right 

 as the "off" side. 



It is common when referring to the ox to speak of the upper part 

 extending from the head to the tail as the "top-line", and the same 

 expression is not infrequently employed in the case of the horse. 



In looking at the exterior of the horse the primary divisions to which 

 we have referred become at once obvious. The subdivisions — their extent 

 and limitations, together with the surface markings and characters of each 

 - — will now be considered in some detail. The information to be here 

 supplied may be regarded as essential and complemental to that higher 

 branch of horse knowledge presently to be considered under the head of 

 conformation. Each of the primary divisions is capable of being broken 



