CHAPTER IV. 



THE ANATOMY OF THE DISEASES OF THE NOSE AND MOUTH 



We now proceed to a description of the face, or lower part 

 of the head of the horse. The nasal bones, or bones of the 

 nose {j j, Fig. 2, and a. Fig. 3), are connected with the frontal 

 bones above, and with the lacrymal, i i, and the bones of the 

 upper jaw, I I, on either side. They are united together by a 

 plain suture, which is a continuation of the frontal, and they ter- 

 minate in a point at the nostril [p, Fig. 2). They are rounded 

 and arched above, because they are exposed to occasional violence 

 and injury, which the arch-form will enable them best to resist ; 

 and at the base of the arch, where the main strength should 

 be, they are overlapped by the upper jaw-bone, as the temporal 

 bone overlaps the base of the parietal. These bones form a prin- 

 cipal part of the face ; and the length, or shortness, and the 

 character of the face, depend upon them. Sometimes there is 

 an appearance of two little arches, with a depression between 

 them along the sutures. This is often found in the blood-horse, 

 with his comparatively broad head and face. The single ele- 

 vated arch is found in the long and narrow face of the heavy 

 draught-horse. 



The profile of the horse has been supposed by many, and 

 probably with some truth, to be indicative of his temper. The 

 straight profile may be accompanied with a good or bad temper, but 

 not otten either in any great excess. The one with a prominent 

 Roman nose, is usually an easy, good-tempered, hardy beast, 

 ready enough to feed, not always, perhaps, so ready to work, 

 but may be made to do his duty without any cruel urging, and 

 having no extraordinary pretension to speed or blood. On the 

 other hand, a depression across the centre of the nose generally 

 indicates some breeding, especially if the head is small, but occa 

 sionally accompanied by a vicious, uncontrollable disposition. 



There is another way, however, in Avhich the nasal bones do 

 more certainly indicate the breed, viz., by their comparative length 

 or shortness. There is no surer criterion of a well-bred horse, 



