ANATOMY OF THE HORSE. 



I.— THE VERTEBRAL CHAIN. 



Also called the spine, vulgarly the back-bone, reaches from 

 the occiput to the sacrum, constituting the bony structure of 

 the neck, back, and loins, and consists of 30 separate pieces, 

 denominated vevtebrce, which are classed, in accordance with the 

 part they enter into the formation of, into cervical, dorsal, and 

 lumbar. 



Co7i/iguration. It bears altogether a resemblance to an S, 

 providing the letter be reversed, turned in the horizontal direc- 

 tion, and an additional curve given to it; thus, ^--,_,'— . Pro- 

 ceeding from the vertex with more or less crest-like curve, it 

 sinks into a bend in the opposite direction at the posterior part 

 of the neck; from this, in the back, it at first gradually rises, 

 but shortly afterwards pursues the horizontal line, or even dips 

 a little : in the loins, however, it rises very perceptibly, forming 

 an arch of considerable extent, which, posteriorly, is completed 

 by the declivity of the coccyx. 



OF THE VERTEBRAE IN GENERAL. 



Conformation. The vertebrae bear a common resemblance, one 

 to another, manifested by the following general characters. 

 Every vertebra is in form symmetrical, and presents middle and 

 lateral divisions. \st. The middle consists of the body, a cylin- 

 drical solid part, having a convex surface anteriorly, a concave 

 one posteriorly, and both roughened by the implantation of the 

 intervertebral substances ; the arch, extended transversely from 

 the sides over the body, so as to include its superior surface ; 

 and this surmounted by the spinous process ; lastly, the verte- 

 bral, spinal, or medullary hole. 2nd. The sides present two 

 transverse processes, jutting outward ; four articulatory pro- 

 cesses, two anterior and two posterior, having smooth surfaces 

 for articulation with those of the vertebrse next to them ; four 

 notches, the excavations between the arch and the body, con- 

 stituting, by apposition, with others in the contiguous vertebrae, 

 the holes of conjugation. 



CERVICAL VERTEBRA. 



Larger than the others, and differ more remarkably in their 

 individual conformation. — In nuniher, seven; and named ac- 

 cording to their numerical order, beginning from the head : the 

 first, however, has got the designation of atlas, and the second, 



