HORSE— DISEASES AND REMEDIES. 



16. Back sinew. 



17. Fetlock or pastern-joint. 



1 8. Coronet. 



19. Hoof or foot. 



20. Heel. 



BODY OB. MIDDLBPIBCB. 



31. Withers. 

 , . 32. Back. 



33, 23. Ribs (forming together the 



barrel or chest). 



34, 24. The circumference of the 



chest at this point, called the 

 girth. 



25. The loins. 



26. The croup. 



27. The hip. 



28. The flank. 



The relative proportions of, and exact 

 shape desirable in each of these points, 

 vary considerably in the several breeds. 

 Thus, when speed and activity are essen- 

 tial, an oblique shoulder-blade is a sing 

 qua non; while for heavy harness it can 

 scarcely be too upright, enabling the 

 pressure of the collar to be more easily 

 borne, and allowing the animal to exert 

 his strength at right angles to its long 

 axis. Many men are good judges of 

 hunters and hacks, but are almost wholly 

 ignorant of the qualities desirable in a 

 coach or cart-horse. There are some 

 «lements, however, which are wanted in 

 any horse, such as big hocks and knees, 

 flat legs with large sinews, open jaws 

 and full nostrils. It will, therefore, 

 be necessary to describe the points 

 of each breed; but we shall here give 

 those which are always to be attended to 

 as being of importance in any kind, 

 whether used for racing or hunting, for 

 the road or for agricultural purposes. 



Taking first the Head : — It should be 

 known that the volume of brain contain- 

 ed within it determines the courage and 

 other mental qualities of the individual. 

 Now as, coeieris paribus, size is power, so 

 without a wide forehead (which part 

 marks the seat of the brain), you cannot 

 expect a full development of those facul- 

 ties known as courage, tractability, good 

 temper, etc. The size of the muzzle is 

 partly regarded as an element of beauty, 

 and partly as a sign of high breeding. 

 Hence, in the cart-horse, a coarse jaw 

 and thick muzzle are not regarded. A 

 large and patent nostril cannot be dis- 

 pensed with in horses intended for fast 

 work, and should be desired even in the 

 cart-horse, for in drawing heavy loads on 



29. 

 30. 



3»- 

 32. 



33. 

 34- 



I 



39- 

 40. 



4»- 



42. 



43- 

 44. 



The sheath. 



The root of the dock or taiL 



THB HIND-QUABTBB. 

 The hip-joint, round or whirl-bone. 

 The stifle-joint. 

 33. Lower thigh or gaslrin. 

 The quarters. 

 The hock. 



The point of the hock. 

 The curb place. 

 The cannon-bone. 

 The back sinew. 

 Pastern or fetlock-joint. 

 Coronet. 

 Foot or hoof. 

 Heel. 

 Spavin-place. 



a hot day, his breathing may be rendered 

 almost as laborious as that of the highly- 

 tasked race-horse or hunter. So also with 

 the jaw ; if there is not ample width be- 

 tween the two sides for the development 

 and play of the larynx and windpipe, the 

 wind is sure to be affected, and, in addi- 

 tion, the head cannot be nicely bent on 

 the neck. A defect in this last point is 

 the usual cause of that straight and in- 

 elegant setting on of the head which is so 

 common, and which the practiced horse- 

 man avoids, as alike unsightly and preju- 

 dicial to the wind and the mouth ; for a 

 horse which cannot give way to the press- 

 ure of the bit is sure to become dull in his 

 mouth, and therefore unpleasant to ride 

 or drive. The eye is to be examined with 

 a twofold purpose — firstly, as an index to 

 the temper, the nature of which is marked 

 by the expression of this organ; and 

 secondly, in reference to its present state 

 of soundness, and the probability of its 

 continuing healthy. A full and clear eye, 

 with soft, gazelle-like expression, is scarce- 

 ly ever associated with a bad temper, and 

 will most frequently continue sound, if the 

 management of the horse to which it be- 

 longs, is proper in itself. The ear should 

 be of medium size, not too small, nor too 

 large, nor should it be lopped, though 

 many good lop-eared horses have been 

 known, and some very superior breeds, 

 like that of the celebrated Melbourne, are 

 notorious for this defect. 



The Neck should be of moderate length, 

 all beyond a certain dimension being waste, 

 and even a moderate-sized head at the 

 end of an extremely long lever being too 

 much for the muscles to support. It 

 should come out full and muscular, with 

 a sweep between the withers and the 



