172 THE CHEST. 



motion ; or rather, in point of fact, they cease to exist. On account of the too hard 

 service required from them, and especially before they had gained their full strength, 

 there are few old horses who have not some of the bones of the back or loins anchy- 

 Josed — united together by bony matter and not by ligament. When this exists to any 

 considerable extent, the horse is not pleasant to ride — he turns with difficulty in his 

 stall — he is unwilling to lie down, and when down to rise again, and he has a 

 singular straddling action. JSuch horses are said to be broken-backed or chinked in the 

 chine. 



Fracture of the bones of the back rarely occurs, on account of their being so strongly 

 united by ligaments, and defended by muscular substance. If a fracture ol' these 

 bones does happen, it is during the violent struggles after the horse has been cast for 

 an operation. 



The length of the back is an important consideration. A lono-backed horse will 

 be easy in his paces, because the increased distance between the fore and hind lens, 

 which are the supports of the spine, will aiford greater room for the play of the joints 

 of the back. A long spring has much more play than a short one, and will better 

 obviate concussion. A long-backed horse is likewise formed for speed, for there is 

 room to bring his hinder legs more under him in the act of gallopping, and thus more 

 powerfully propel or drive forward the body : but, on the otlier hand, a long-backed 

 horse will be comparatively weak in the back, and easily overweighted. A long 

 spring may be easily bent or broken. The weight of the rider, likewise, placed 

 farther from the extremities, will act with mechanical disadvantage upon them, and 

 be more likely to strain them. A short-backed horse may be a good hackney, and 

 able to carry the heaviest weight, and possess great endurance ; but his paces will 

 not be so easy, nor his speed so great, and he may be apt to overreach. 



The comparative advantage of a long or short carcase depends entirely on the use 

 for which the horse is intended. For general purposes the horse with a short carcase 

 is very properly preferred. He will possess health and strength ; for horses of this 

 make are proverbially hardy. He will iiave sufficient easiness of action not to fatignie 

 the rider, and speed for every ordinary purpose. Length of back will always be 

 desirable when there is iiiore than usual substance generally, and particularly when 

 the loins are wide, and the muscles of the loins large and swelling. The two requi- 

 sites, strength and speed, will then probably be united. 



The back should be depressed a little immediately behind the withers ; and then 

 continue in an almost straight line to the loins. This is the form most consistent 

 with beauty and strength. Some horses have a very considerable hollow behind the 

 withers. They are said to be saddle-backed. It seems as if a depression were pur- 

 posely made for the saddle. Such horses are evidently easy goers, for this curve 

 inward must necessarily increase the play of the joints of the back: but in the same 

 proportion they are weak and liable to sprain. To the general appearance of the 

 horse, this defect is not in any great degree injurious ; for the hollow of the back is 

 uniformly accompanied by a beautifully arched crest. 



A few horses have the curve outward. They are said to be roach-backed, from the 

 supposed reseml)lance to the arched back of a roach. This is a very serious defect; 

 — altogether incompatible with beauty, and materially diminishing the usefulness of 

 the animal. It is almost impossible to prevent the saddle from being thrown on the 

 shoulders, or the back from being galled ; — the elasticity of the spine is destroj'ed; 

 — the rump is badly set on ; — the hinder legs are too much under the animal ; — he is 

 continually overreaching, and his head is carried awkwardly low. 



THE LOINS. 



The loins are attentively examined by every good horseman. They can scarcely 

 be too broad and muscular. The strength of the back, and especially, the strength 

 of the hinder extremities, will depend materially on this. The breadth of the loins 

 is regulated by the length of the transverse or side processes of that part. The bodies 

 of the bones of the loins are likewise larger than those of the back ; and a more dove- 

 tailed kind of unif)n subsists l)etwcen these bones than b(>twoen those of the back. 

 FiVery provision is made for stn-ngth here. The union of the back and loins sliould 

 be carefully observed, for there is sometimes a depression between thein. A kind of 

 line is drawn across, which shows imperfection in the construction of the spine, and 

 is regarded as an indication of weakr\ess. 



