Boos VII. ORGANOLOGY OF THE HORSE. 



9.; 9 



and as the pressure on the intestines must be considerable from the small containing surface, so they are 

 usually likewise what is termed washy; that is, easily purged, whereby an additional cause of weakness 

 exists, from the too early passing off of the food. Such horses are, nowever, very commonly spirited and 

 lively, although not lasting. A knowledge of the advantages gained by a circular form of carcass or 

 belly, as affording the greatest capacity, is what constituted Bakewell's grand secret in the breeding of 

 cattle : he always bred from such animals as would be most likely to produce this form, well knowing that 

 no other would fatten so advantageously. 



6275. The whirlbone (I), among the jockeys and grooms, is the articulation of the thigh bone, with the 

 pelvis, or basin, and form- the hip joint. The ligaments of this powerful joint are sometimes forcibly dis- 

 tended by violence, and a very obstinate lameness is usually the consequence. The situation of the thigh 

 (/, m) is in the horse, as in most quadrupeds, enveloped within the range of the trunk. 



6276. The stifle (m) corresponds with the knee of the human figure, and is the point at the lower por- 

 tion of the flank. It is evident that the part below this, which is generally called the thigh or gascoin, is 

 erroneously so named. It should be very muscular and extended ; it should also make a considerable 

 angle with the femur or thigh, and form a direct line under the hip or haunch. Its length in all animals 

 destined for speed is considerable. 



6277. The fore extremities or legs. In treating of the mechanical properties of the 

 skeleton, we shall have to point out the essential differences between the geometrical 

 structure and functions of the fore and hinder extremities. We shall here content our- 

 selves with a simple examination of the individual parts. 



6278. The arm of the horse Ji is apt to be overlooked, nor, without some consideration, does it strike the 

 observer, that the arm covered with muscles, and enveloped within the common skin of the chest, extends 

 from the elbow o) to the point of the shoulder, as it is termed, but correctly to its own point below and 

 before the shoulder blade. (Jig. 830.) The same reasons which render a muscular, oblique, and deep 

 shoulder advantageous, also make it desirable that this part should be muscular and extensive in length 

 and breadth, and that its obliquity should be proportionate to that of the shoulder : whence it results, 

 that the more acute the angle between them, the greater will be the extent of the motion gained by the 

 flexion and extension of the parts. 



627f. The fore arm (c), which horsemen consider and call the arm, is placed upright to counteract the 

 angular position of the real arm and shoulder bones. As it is always found long in animals destined for 

 great speed, as we witness in the hare and greyhound, it should therefore be also of considerable length 

 ;ii the horse, when speed is a requisite quality ; but for the cadences of the manege, where the elasticity 

 is required to be distributed equally through all parts of the limb, it is chosen short. The fore-arm is 

 broad and large, particularly upwards, for here the powerful muscles that operate the motions of the parts 

 below, are almost all of them situated. To prevent incumbrance, and to give solidity, these muscles de- 

 generate into tendons and ligaments below the fore-arm ; but above, it is essentially necessary to strength 

 that they should be large and well marked. 



6280. The knee k rfl, so calleci, is properly, wi;h reference to human anatomy, the carpus or wrist It is 

 composed of many bones to enable it to resist the jar arising from the action of the perpendicular parts 

 above and below it. All the joints of the extremities, but particularly those of the knee and hock, should 

 be broad, that the surface of contact may be increased, and the stability augmented ; by this means, like- 

 wise, a more extensive attachment is afforded to muscles and ligaments ; their insertions are also thereby 

 removed farther from the centre of motion. 



6281. As criteria of safe going, the knees should be ■particularly examined when it is contemplated to 

 purchase a horse, to see whether the skin has been broken by falls; and in this, very minute attention is 

 required ; for sometimes the wound heals so perfectly, or otherwise so much art is used in shaving the 

 hair, blistering, colouring, and rubbing it down, picking out the white or staring hairs, tkc, that more 

 than common nicety is required to detect a slight scar. It is, however, prudent to remember, that it is 

 not every horse whose knees betray a scar, that is a stumbler : the best may have a fall in the dark. It is 

 also necessary to caution persons against the admission of a very common prejudice, that when a horse 

 has once been down, however little he may have hurt his knees, he is rendered more liable than before to 

 a similar accident. If his limbs have not been weakened by the accident, or if the cicatrix be not suffi- 

 ciently large to prevent the free bending of the knee, he is not at all more liable to fall than another 

 horse. If, therefore, a horse with a scar on his knee have the forehand good, and if his action correspond 

 thereto, he ought not to be refused on this ground : but with a different conformation he ought to be steadily 

 rejected, let the tale told be ever so plausible. In gross heavy horses a scabby eruption often seats itself 

 around the inner bend of the knee (A), which is called mallenders. 



6282. The canon or shank (e) carries the limb down elegant, light, straight, and strong. Much stress is 

 deservedly laid on the necessity that this part of the limb should be wide when viewed laterally. Viewed 

 in front, its being thin is favourable, because made up as it is principally of bone and tendon, aiiy addition 

 to it beyond these must arise from useless cellular matter, or otherwise from matter worse than useless, 

 being placed there by disease. Any thickening of the part generally or partially, should be looked on 

 with suspicion; as, if natural, likely to interfere with motion without adding to strength ; or if acciden- 

 tal, as a mark of acquired injury likely to remain. In the bony skeleton may be seen within and behind 

 the knee an apparatus destined to remove the acting ligaments and tendons from the centre of motion, 

 by which great advantage is gained in strengthening and facilitating their flexions. It is a default in this 

 conformation that renders horses tied in under the knee, as it is usually termed. The limb below the knee, 

 instead of proceeding downwards of a uniform width, is seen suddenly narrowing immediately as it leaves 

 the knee. Such horses are invariably found to bear exertion badly ; their legs at an early period become 

 bowed or arched, and totter on the slightest exertion. In cart horses this conformation is very common ; 

 but in them it is of less consequence than in those destined for quicker motion, where the elevation of the 

 limb is so extensively and so frequently repeated. To render this subject familiarly clear, we will recom- 

 mend that a cord be placed round the ball of the thumb, and passed up close to the arm until it reaches 

 the bend : with the other hand, by straightening and extending this cord, but held close to the arm, en- 

 deavour to flex the hand and wrist inwards : operated in this way it will require great force to do it ; but 

 remove the hand only two inches from the arm, and the bound hand will yield readily to a less force. 

 Exactly the same happens to the ligaments and tendons called back sinews which flex or bend the fore 

 legs ; for by an apparatus, formed from the position of one of the carpal bones (pisif&rmis), they are, in 

 well formed legs, set out wide from the knee. 



6283. The back sinews should not only be large and firm, but they should, like the limb generally, be 

 very distinct from the knee to the fetlock : in this course, if any thickening be observed, it betokens former 

 injury, as extension or rupture of ligamentous fibres, which usually have a disposition to recurring weak- 

 ness. If a hard swelling appear on the inner side, not on the tendon, but on the I. one, a splint is present 

 which is more or less injurious as it is nearer or farther from the knee, or distinct from or situated among 

 the tendons and ligaments; but when it is considerable in size, hot to tre feel, and extends inwards and 

 backwards among them, it usually produces most injurious consequences. To detect these evils the eye 

 alone should not be trusted, particularly where there is much hair on the legs, as on cart horses, and even 

 on hackneys in the winter, but the hand should be deliberately passed down the shank before and behind. 

 An enlargement or scar situated close to and on the inner side of the knee, must not be mistaken for a 

 splint ; it more frequently arises from a custom some horses have when trotting fast, of elevating their 

 feet and cutting this part with their shoes, and it is thence called the speedy cut. 



