BONES OF THE HORSE. 33 



CHAPTER II. 

 BONES OF THE HORSE. 



THE SKELETON. 



In the animal body, the bones form an internal framework, 

 consolidating the whole structure and giving it general form 

 and dimensions. In their connection and natural assemblage 

 they constitute the skeleton, and before undertaking a particular 

 description of the foot, it is advantageous that a summary indi- 

 cation of the general principles of the skeleton of a horse 

 should be known, in order to better understand the details of 

 the special parts with which we are afterward to have most to 

 do. The skeleton is divided into the trunk and limbs. The 

 trunk consists of the spine, a series of distinct bones, jointed 

 one to another in the middle upper part of the trunk of which 

 it is the essential portion, forming a flexible support to the en- 

 tire body from the head to the tail ; and the ribs attached to the 

 spine above and the sternum below, inclosing the thorax or 

 chest and viscera. 



The Limbs. — The limbs, four in number, distinguished as 



the two anterior (or fore) and the two posterior (or hind), are 



the supports of the trunk, and are each divided into several 



parts, resting one upon another. Each limb has four principal 



regions, those of the front limbs being the shoulder, resting 



against the front part of the chest ; the arm, next below the 



shoulder ; the forearm, succeeding the arm ; and the foot, the 



end of the limb. Those of the hind limbs are the haunch or 



pelvis, connected with the hind part of the spine, and the thigh, 



leg, and foot. 



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