LESSONS IN HORSE JUDGING. 63 



this. Again reminding you of what was said 

 about the superior triangle of the neck being 

 occupied by muscles, which get attached to the 

 last five bones of the neck, and of course when 

 acting draw these bones upwards and backwards, 

 there are positions, as for example, when the 

 horse during the act of leaping a height is in a 

 rearing attiude, and poising the body the instant 

 before taking the spring, when the neck has to be 

 drawn upwards and backwards, and the muzzle 

 drawn well in to the neck, in order that the face 

 may be conveniently situated for the animal to 

 look straight down upon the object to be leaped 

 over. In such a case the neck assumes the most 

 marked double curve. The hindmost curve is 

 first produced in the way we have mentioned, 

 and the bones of it being fixed allows the part to 

 become a fulcrum for the muscles acting at the 

 lower side of the neck to draw the muzzle back- 

 wards. We have next the neck in one long 

 curve, and the head extended as when the horse 

 is feeding out of a very high hay rack. Next we 

 have the neck straight and the head extended, as 

 in the race-horse during the hottest part of the 

 race nearing the winning post, and, as we have 

 seen, the neck and head may be at rest and 

 almost at right angles. 



In our first lesson we saw that muscles, when 

 in the full enjoyment of their highest functions, 

 were said to be in tone. We have also seen in 

 this lesson that muscles alter the curve of the 

 vertebral column, more especially those parts of 

 it forming the neck and the tail, so that it follows 



