(152) 



CHAPTER VII. 



SADDLES AND SORE BACKS. 

 The Structure of the Back. 



Saddle EXCLUDING epizootic diseases, it would be difficult to find any cause 

 injury a of inefficiency among army horses equal to that produced by saddle 

 cause of injuries. It has always been so, for the reason that insufficient attention 

 large j^g^g bggn paid to the question of prevention, and few realize the extra- 



fneffici- ° ordinary damage which may be inflicted in a very short time by an ill- 

 ency. fitting saddle or collar. 



It is quite reasonable, in the face of past experience, to ask the question 

 whether the class of injury we are about to deal with can be prevented 

 to any great extent, or whether it is not one of the penalties we pay for 

 having domesticated the horse? 



We can dismiss the question at once, it is a common, but not always 

 necessary penalty ; and its frequency is enormously increased by 

 ignorance, indifference and want of intelligence, singly or combined. 



In the ordinary course of things, it was not intended that horses should 

 carry a weight or pull a load, or some special protection would have 

 been given them, whereas the construction of the back is such that it lends 

 itself to injury, and invites trouble by the very peculiarity and delicacy 

 of its organization. 



In fact, it may at once be stated, as our text throughout this chapter, 

 that the basis of a sound scheme for the prevention of injuries from 

 saddles and harness can only be laid down by a knowledge of the 

 structure of the parts. All else is guess work. There is probably no 

 other branch of animal management where a knowledge of the structure 

 of the body is so essential to a clear conception of the subject. 

 The spine. The spine is composed of a chain of bones, each link moving on the 

 one in front of and behind it. It is true the movement is limited, but small 

 as it is, it is of the utmost importance. 



The movements of the spinal chain are upwards, downwards and from 

 side to side ; these may be easily illustrated ; the spine arches upwards 

 when a horse " buck jumps," or backs, it becomes depressed under the 



