i>4 THE HORSE. 



K The Fi 'e Sacral Vertebrae, or bones of the haunch. 



V Caudal Vertisbra;, or bones of the tail, g-cncrally about fifteen. 



G Scapula, or shoulder-blacie. 



H Sternum or fore-part of the chest. 



I Costtc or ribs, seven or eig-lit articulating- with the sternum, and called the true rib$ 



and ten or eleven united together by cartilage, called the false ribs. 

 J Humerus, or bone of the arm. 

 K Radius, or bone of the fore-arm. 



L Ulna or elbow. The point of the elbow is called the Olecranon 

 M Carpus or knee, consisting of seven bones. 

 N Metacarpal bones. The larger metacarpal or cannon or shank in front, and tlie 



smaller metacarpal or splent bone behind. 

 g Fore Pastern and Foot, consisting of the Os Suffraginis, or the upper and larger 



pastern bone, with the sessamoid bones behind, articulating with the cannon and 



greater pastern ; the Os Coronse, or lesser pastern; the Os Pedis or collin bone; 



and the Os Naviculare, or navicular, or shuttle-bone, not seen, and articulating 



with the smaller pastern and coffin bones. 

 h Corresponding bones of the iiind-feet. 



O Haunch, consisting of three portions — the Ilium, the Ischium, and the Pubis. 

 P Femur or thigh. 

 Q, Stifle joint with the Patella. 



R Tibia or proper leg bone — behind is a small bone called the fihula. 

 S Tarsus or hock, composed of six bones. The prominent part is the Os Calcia 



point of ihe hock. 

 T Metatarsals of the hind leg. 



Beautiful as is the horse, and identified so much with our pleasure and 

 our profit, he has been the object of ahnost universal regard ; and there 

 are few persons who do not pretend to be somewhat competent judges of 

 liis form, qualities, and worth. From the nobleman with his nuuicrous 

 and valuable stud, to the meanest helper in the stable, and not excluding 

 even the mechanic who scarcely crosses, or sits behind a horse once in a 

 twelvemonth, there is scarcely a man who would not be offended if he 

 were thought altogether ignorant of horse-flesh. There is no subject on 

 which he is so positive, there is no subject on which, generally .speaking, 

 he is so deficient, and there are few horses, on some points of which these 

 pretended and self-sufficient judges would not give a totally opposite 

 opinion. 



The truth is, that this supposed knowledge is rarely founded on principle 

 — or is the result of the slightest acquaintance with the actual structure 

 of this animal, or that form and connexion of parts on which strength, 

 or fleetness, or stoutness, must necessarily depend. If we were construct- 

 ing or e.xamining a machine composed of levers and pullies, and by which 

 we purposed to raise a great weight, or to set in motion certain bodies 

 with a given velocity, we should fail in our object, or expose our igno- 

 rance of the matter, if we were not aware what kind of lever or connex- 

 ion of levers was necessary, and in what situation the ropes should be 

 piaced, ana m what direction the force should be applied, and by what 

 means we could obtain mechanical advantage, and by what peculiar con- 

 struction it would inevitably be lost. 



Now the structure of the horse, like that of the human being,* consists 

 of numerous levers in the shape of bones, with ropes attached to them l»i 



* See Treatise on " Ani lal Mechanic*." 



