54 



ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



Attach- 

 ment of 

 ribs. 



they represent, as we have expressed it above, the only part of the spine 

 which can be examined and felt, but the spine proper is deep-seated and 

 covered with flesh. 



If the bony processes belonging to the spine are exposed to pressure, 

 even be it ever so slight, the parts at once become inflamed. 



A reference to fig. 25 shows the ribs apparently growing out from the 

 backbone ; as a matter of fact the head of each rib is let into a joint 

 formed between every link in the spinal chain, and the object of this joint 

 is to allow the ribs to move. The diagram also shows that the ribs in 



Fig. 25. 



False ribs, front are let into the breastbone, while those behind are lashed, as it were, 

 to each other. These latter are called the false ribs. The former let 

 into the breastbone are the true ribs. 



The true ribs are stout and straight, the false are thinner and curved. 

 The curving and arching of the ribs increases from front to rear, so that 

 the chest is narrowest between the two front ribs, and widest between the 

 two last. 



This progressive increase in the width of a horse from front to rear is 

 best seen by looking down on the back from above (fig. 26), when the 

 wedge-shaped appearance becomes very apparent. Fig. 27 shows a vertical 



True ribs. 



Shape 

 of back. 



