THE SKELETON. jT 



u'louinl first again, ami supi>()rt the body ; quickly, 

 lullow the fore legs, aud tlieu the hind legs begin 

 auew their forward throwing activity. Tho gallop 

 is discernible to tho oar by two or three beats. 



If we consider the diflfereut parts participating in 

 the movements of the horse, we find that there are 

 the neck, the back, the hind legs, and the fore legs. 



Tho CiAuinn of the vctidn-w extends from the head 

 to the tail. The part from the withers to the highest; 

 point of the croup is destined to carry the whole 

 rump, and its power is augineiitetl partly by elonga- 

 tions of the vertebrre in an upward direction, partly 

 by the ribs fastened to the vertebrie ou both sides 

 and forming an arch-like vault under the spinal 

 column. 



The spinal column consists of a uniform number of 

 vertebrtB (See Skeleton Fig. 14) ; tho closer they 

 stand together the shorter the column will be, 

 and accordingly more able to carry weight. 

 The otherwise horizontal line of the spinal 

 column sinks downward at its forward termi- 

 nation to connect with the vertebra) of the neck, 

 forming the so-called curve of the icithers, and the 

 more pronounced this curve the greater the carrying 

 power. This carrying power is also dependent upon 

 the relative positions of tho two end points, or in 

 other words upon the distance between the withers. 



