4 EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE. 



of its owner at the same time, by ordering the horse to be destroyed at once, 

 rather than by fruitless delay, and at a heavy expense, prolonging the animal's 

 8ufterings to no worthy purpose. 



1 have not confined my -/esearches to disease only : in the first chapter, the 

 skoeing-smith will find explained the principles upon which depend deformi- 

 ties of the hoof, and he may fashion his work accordingly; whilst the choice 

 of a horse may be undertaken with some confidence, if f/ie purchaser keeps in 

 mind the practical advice and information here collected together from various 

 sources, and added to my own observations, and long, extensive, and success- 

 ful experience, in all matters of this nature. 



Explanation and practical use of the Skeleton annexed. 



T[iK references that are made to the annexed plate, and which will neces- 

 sarily be found rather numerous in the chapter on conformation, are so made 

 by means of letters and figures, corresponding with similar letters and figures 

 upon the })Iate. The letters direct tfie reader's eye across the picture, the 

 figures from top to bottom ; when he is referred both by letter, and figure, the 

 place of intersection is the point to which his attention ought to be directed. 

 Thus [G. 37.] which, by placing a flat ruler, or a piece of paper, across at "G." 

 and running the finger downwards from the figure "37," would be found to 

 intersect each other at the insertion or commencement of the horse's tail ; 

 whilst [Y. 40.] would bring us to the hindermost pastern. Again, [K. L. 

 M. N. 14, 15, 16.] or [K— N. 14—16.] directs the readers attention to the 

 shoulder-bone ; at [M. 20.] is his heart, and at [H. 29.] his kidneys are 

 placed. 



The reader will please to observe, that the Frontispiece is meant to l)e, less 

 what is termed "a pretty picture" than a practically useful one, calculated to 

 facilitate his comprehension of what is said in this treatise about the living 

 horse, his structure, and internal formation; of his capabilities, and all of the 

 diseases arising tVom their misa|)plication. To this end, a mere elevation of 

 the skeleton was requisite; and, that this should be rendered more practically 

 u:-;eful, it is diviiled into squares, for more ready reference. The figure itself, 

 is that of a rather long bodied horse; the blade bone having been lowered to 

 show the continuity of the vertebrsc, or backbone, between the shoulders, and 

 the elltuw being bent forward for that purpose, so that the shoulder-bone 

 is hrouglit to form its sharpest angle. This position of the limb, of course, 

 rrndercd the subject of the plate lower before than he would bf. were those 

 bones more straight up and down than they are. See Section 8. 



He will observe, too, that the situation only of some internal parts was re- 

 quired for the purpose of elucidation; thus, the heart seems unsuspended by 

 its vessels, as its pericardium and part of the lungs are removed; and it fol- 

 lows, that whoever ex[)ected to find a delineation of everv viscus, [jerfect, has 

 deceived himself. — if any such there be. Respecting the poll, or bones of the 

 head and neck, the reader will find some remarks in Section 16. 



Furlher, the references my readers will meet with in the midst ofthe text 

 ire necessarily as brief as they are useful, and are made to the sections, or 

 oarts, into which the first two chapters are divided after the manner of verses. 



This mode of reference will be found liighly serviceable in his inquiries by 

 '.he attentive reader, who is unused to study things of this nature, but who 

 must soon perceive the great practical advantages to be derived from so inii 

 mate an ac(|uaintance with the subject as this method of learning it will fur 

 ■mAi him the means o^ acquiriikg. If, in tlie prosecution of his studifcji, he 



