364 NAVIN ON THE HORSE. 



It would not suit the purpose of this work to give a full de- 

 scription of all the muscles of the horse. I shall only describe 

 such as are principally concerned in the action of the horse, 

 and such as are the seat of, or involved in, disease. 



The whole number of muscles in the horse is variously esti- 

 mated by diiferent authors. Mr. Dadd, in his great work, 

 " The Anatomy and Physiology of the Horse," estimates the 

 number at tliree hundred and fortij-four. This is probably near 

 the exact number. The}'' are chiefly arranged in pairs, or twos, 

 of the same kind. Mr. Dadd's estimate includes one hundred 

 and sixty-seven pairs and ten single muscles. 



In describing the muscles it will be impossible for me to use 

 names generally understood, in many cases, for the reason 

 that but few muscles have ever been named by any but anat- 

 omists, and they have given them Latin names; but I will so 

 describe the muscles that no trouble need be caused if the 

 names are not familiar. 



Panniculus carnosus, the fleshy covering. It is a muscle pe- 

 culiar to quadru2:)eds, or four-footed animals. It extends from 

 the poll over the whole body and down to the arms and stifles. 

 It lies immediately under the skin, and is attached to it by the 

 cellular membrane. It is by the rapid action of this muscle 

 that the horse's skin is contracted into wrinkles, and made to 

 quiver when he wishes to shake flies or dust ofl" his body. It 

 is a very useful muscle to animals. 



I will consider the muscles in four classes: the first class 

 embracing those of the head and neck; the second, the hody, or 

 trunk; the third, the fore extremities ; the fourth, the hind ex- 

 tremities. 



MUSCLES OF THE HEAD AND NECK. 



The muscles connected with the nose and mouth are rather 

 slender, and of considerable length. Their names indicate 

 their uses. Each distinct sort of motion of the lips and soft 

 parts of the nose is the result of the action of either a single 

 muscle or the combined action of two or more. 



