54 LESSONS IN HORSE JUDGING. 



in taking hay out of racks placed very high, or 

 very much downwards, as in grazing. The part of 

 the vertebral column forming the loins is also much 

 bent in galloping and leaping, but the most move- 

 ment is in the column forming the tail. 



Shortly reviewing what we have said regarding 

 the movements of the back bone or vertebral column 

 we have found that it can move itself, and that it 

 can he moved. That in moving itself it does so by 

 the little muscles which clothe it, and that the 

 amount of this movement only amounts to what we 

 have, somewhat inelegantly, termed a wriggle. 

 That in being moved by muscles from without, the 

 motion is far more extensive. Lastly, we found 

 that there was m.ost movement in the tail, the next 

 in the neck, and then in the loins, so that we have 

 only to add that there is next to no movement in 

 the back, and as has been mentioned, the bones of 

 the croup are glued together and quite immovable. 



Having said enough for the present about the 

 * back-bone' or 'vertebral column' in general, I 

 wish now to fix your attention upon that portion of 

 it, made up of seven bones, forming the neck. In 

 the fore part of this lesson we saw that the bones 

 of the neck ran diagonally, from below upwards and 

 forwards, and we have since seen that whether it 

 is straight or curved depends upon the action or 

 inaction of certain muscles. When the horse is 

 standing quietly at rest the elastic ligament simply 

 suspends the head and neck, and in doing so the 



