238 THE MUSCLES AND PROPER FORM OF THE NECK. 



this cut ; the height at which it comes oiit from them forming nearly a line 

 vnth. the Avithers ; and the manner in which it tapers as it approaches the 

 head. The neck of a Avell-formed horse, however fine at the top, should be 

 muscular at the bottom, or the horse Avill generally be weak and worthless. 

 Necks devoid of this musculai'ity are called loose necks by horsemen, and 

 are always considered a very serious objection to the animal. If the neck 

 is thin and lean at the upper part, and is other-wise well shaped, the horse 

 will usually carry himself well, and the head will be properly curved for 

 beauty of apj^earance and ease of riding. When an instance to the contrary 

 occurs, it is to be traced to veiy improper management, or to the space 

 between the jaws being unnaturally small. 



The splenius muscle, although a main agent in raising the head and neck, 

 may be too large, or covered "with too much cellular substance or fat, thus 

 giving an appearance of heaviness or even clumsiness to the neck. This 

 peculiarity of form constitutes the distinction between the perfect horse 

 and the mare, and also the gelding, unless casti'ated at a very late period. 



This tendon belongs also to another muscle, which makes up the principal 

 bulk of the lower part of the neck, and is called the complexus major, or 

 larger comjjHcated muscle. It arises partly as low as the transverse 

 processes of the four or five first bones of the back, and from all the bones 

 of the neck, except the first ; and the fibres from these various sources_ 

 uniting together, form a very large and powerful muscle, the largest and 

 strongest in the neck. As it approaches the head, it lessens in bulk, and 

 terminates partly with the splenius, in this tendon, but is principally 

 inserted into the loack part of the occipital bone, by the side of the ligament 

 of the neck. Its office is to raise the neck and elevate the head ; and 

 being inserted into such a part of the occiput, it will more particularly 

 protrude the nose, while it raises the head. Its action, however, may be 

 too powei'ful ; it may be habitually so, and then it may produce deformity. 

 The back of the head being pulled back, and the muzzle protruded, the 

 horse cannot by possibility cany his head well. He will become what is 

 technically called a star-gazer ; — heavy in hand, boring npon the bit, and 

 unsafe. To remedy this, recourse is had, and in the majority of cases 

 vv^ithout avail, to the martingale, against Avhich the horse is continually 

 fighting, and which is often a complete annoyance to the rider. Such a 

 horse is almost useless for liai"ness. 



Inseparable from tliis is another sad defect, so far as the beauty of the 

 horse is concerned ; — he becomes ewe-neclced ; i.e. he has a neck like a 

 ewe — not arched above, and straight below, until near to the head, but 

 hollowed above and projecting below ; and the neck rising low out of the 

 chest, even lower sometimes than the points of the shoulders. There can 

 scarcely be anything more unsightly in a horse. His head can never be 

 got fairly down, and the bearing reign of harness must be to him a source 

 of constant torture. In regarding, however, the leng-th and the form of 

 the neck, reference must be had to the purpose for which the horse is 

 intended. In a hackney few things can be more abominable than a neck 

 so disproportionable, so long that the hand of the rider gets tired in 

 managing the head of the horse. In the race-horse tliis lengthening of the 

 neck is a decided advantage. 



Among the muscles employed in raising the head, are the complexus 

 mtnores (smaller complicated), and the o-ectl (straight), and the obHque 

 muscles of the upper part of the neck, and belonging principally to the 

 two first bones of the neck. 



Among the muscles employed in lowering the head, some of which are 

 given in the same cut, is the sterno-maxlUaris, d, belonging to the breast- 

 bone and the lower jaw. I^ can likewise be traced, although not quite 



