216 THE LIPS. 



supply the lips were divided in a poor ass, to illustrate some point of physio- 

 logy. The sensibility of the lips was lost, and he knew not when he 

 touched his food with them. The motion of the lij)S was lost, and he could 

 not get the oats between his teeth, although the manger was full of them: 

 at length, driven by hunger, he contrived to lick up a few of them with his 

 tongue ; but when they were on his tongue, the greater part of them were 

 rubbed off before he could get them into his mouth. 



It is on account of this use of the lips, that they may be brought into 

 contact with the food without inconvenience or injury to other parts of 

 the face, that the heads of most quadi'upeds are so lengthened. Several 

 muscles go to the lips from difierent parts of the jaw and face. Some of 

 them are shown in the cut, p. 199. The orbicularis or circular muscle, jj, 

 employed in pushing out the lips and closing them, and enabling the horse 

 to seize and hold his food, is particularly evident ; and in the explanation 

 of the cut, the action of other muscles, /, l; m, and o, was described. The 

 nerves likewise, y, taking their course along the cheek, and principally 

 supplying the lips with the power of motion, and those, z, proceeding from 

 the foramen, or hole in the upper jaw, deserve attention. 



The lips are composed of a muscular substance for the sake of strength, 

 and a multitude of small glands, Avhich secrete a fluid that co^"ers the in- 

 side of the lips and the gums, in order to prevent friction, and likewise 

 furnish a portion of the moisture so necessary for the proper chewing of 

 the food. The skin covering the lips is exceedingly thin, in order that 

 their peculiar sensibility may be preserved, and for the same purpose they 

 are scantily covered with haii% and that hair is fine and short. Long 

 haii's or feelers, termed the beard, are superadded with the same i ntention. 

 The horse is guided and governed principally by the mouth, and therefore 

 the lips are endowed with very great sensibiHty, so that the animal feels 

 the slightest motion of the hand of the rider or driver, and seems to 

 anticipate liis very thoughts. The fineness or goodness of the mouth con- 

 sists in its exquisite feeling, and that depends on the thinness of this 

 membrane. 



The lips of the horse should be thin, if the beauty of the head is regarded; 

 yet, although thin, they should evidently possess power, and be strongly 

 and regularly closed. A firm, compressed mouth gives a favoui'able and 

 no deceptive idea of the muscular power of the animal. Lips apart from 

 each other and hanging down, indicate weakness or old age, or dulness 

 and sluggishness. 



The depth of the mouth, or the distance from the fore-part to the angle 

 of the lips, should be considerable. A short protuberant mouth would be 

 a bad finish to the tapering face of the blood-horse. More room is like- 

 wise given for the opening of the nostril, which has been shown to be an 

 important consideration. The bridle wall not be carried well, and the 

 horse will hang heavy on hand, if there is not considerable depth of mouth. 



The corners or angles of the lips are frequently made sore or wounded 

 by the smallness, or shortness, or peculiar tAvisting of the snafile, and the 

 unnecessary and cruel tightness of the bearing rein. This rein Avas in- 

 troduced as giving the horse a grander appearance in harness, and placing 

 the head in that position in which the bit most efiectually presses upon the 

 jaw. It is an useful adjunct to driving safely, for, deprived of this con- 

 trol, many horses would hang their heads low, and be disposed every 

 moment to stumble, and would defy all pulling, if they tried to run away. 

 There is, and can be no necessity, however, for using a bearing-rein so 

 tight as to ci'amp the muscles of the head, or to injure and excoriate the 

 angles of the lips. 



The following is the opinion of Nimrod, and to a more competent judgo 



