GENERAL PART OF EXAMINATION. 39 



of the body. Cold blooded horses usually have well rounded 

 forms because the muscles are of large size and surrounded 

 by well developed fat deposits. The condition as to flesh is 

 influenced by the quantity and quality of the food and the use 

 and purpose for which the animal is intended and fed. Con- 

 tinued hard work reduces the fullness of the body outline, 

 causing the conformation to appear angular. 



When the digestive tract is affected with disease, whether 

 local or general, the condition of the animal becomes reduced. 

 A gradual but continual loss of condition, notwithstanding 

 that the appetite and food are good, always points to chronic 

 disease, but not necessarily to disease of the digestive tract. 

 When the digestive tract becomes diseased the appetite is 

 imp.aired. 



Depending upon the use and purpose of the animal we 

 distinguish the following kinds of condition: Prime, very 

 good, tolerably good, fair and bad. A gradual, progressive 

 general emaciation is called Cachexia. Rapid emaciation ap- 

 pears in purpura hemorrhagica and in severe infectious dis- 

 eases. Excessive corpulency (obesity) is common in bulls 

 and dogs ; in slaughterable animals it is desired. 



III. Conformation. It is advisable to classify horses 

 according to their use into heavy and light draft, carriage and 

 saddle horses. The classification is based upon the animal's 

 conformation. To judge of the conformation correctly we 

 should take into consideration the depth of the body, breadth 

 and depth of chest, curvature of the ribs, strength and angu- 

 lation of the joints, and the attitude of the limbs when stand- 

 ing naturally. 



Horses with flat, small chests possess poor staying quah- 

 ties, the lungs correlatively being small. Horses with flat, not 

 well sprung ribs, tucked up abdomens and long legs, are as 

 a rule poor feeders. As such animals show continually poor 

 appetites for food, the bowels are not kept well filled, hence 

 the body appears deficient in depth. Hearty horses, good 



