38 



CONFOEMATION AND ITS DEFECTS 



standard of proi^ortion in its osseous parts, better a trifle too large than 

 too small. A small head in relation to other parts means not only a 

 sacrifice of symmetry, but maybe also of power and intelligence. 



FORM OF THE HEAD 



The head of the horse presents great variety of form. In order to 

 indicate the defects of conformation of this part it will be necessary in 



the first jjlace to convey some idea as to 

 those characters which combine to develop 

 the highest standard of beauty and physio- 

 logical excellence in the whole. In speaking 

 of the " Points of the Horse " we have 

 already referred to the various regions into 

 which the head is divided, and we now pro- 

 jjose to examine them as to their magnitude, 

 formation, and reciprocal relations. 



The aspects from which the head will 

 require to be examined are: (l) the anterior 

 or front view; (2) the lateral or side view; 

 (3) the posterior or back view; and (4) 

 the view of the upper and lower extremities 

 respectively. 



Viewed from the front (fig. 28) the first 

 and most striking feature is the forehead, 

 whose anatomical relations with the brain, 

 the eye, the breathing organs, and the organs 

 of mastication impart to it such exceptional 

 importance. This division of the head is 

 limited below by a line drawn across the 

 face from the inner corner of one eye to 

 that of the other, from which it rises to 

 the poll or occipital crest. 



The forehead should be deep and 

 broad, inasmuch as the bones which form 

 its basement structure not only enclose 

 the brain cavity l)ut two other cavities (frontal sinuses) below it 

 which are part of the respiratory system of organs. A large forehead, 

 therefore, may be taken to denote a large brain and a large breathing 

 capacity. 



Prm.x 



Fig. 28.— Front View of Skull .ind 

 Temporal Muscles 



00, Occipital crest, p, Parietal bone. 

 X, Parietal suture. F, Frontal bone. Na, 

 Nasal bone. Mx. Superior maxillary bone. 

 Pr.mx., Pre-maxillary bone. L, Lachiymal 

 bone. M, Malar bone. T, Temporal muscle. 



