THE MUSCULAR SYSTEM OP Tlid HORSE. 



THE iniSCTJLAE SYSTEltt OF THE HOKSE. 



We copy tbe following from the Plough, Loom 

 and Anvil : 



Fig^. ]. The forehead. Few things more clearly 

 indicate the blood of the horse than the forehead. 

 In the blood-horse the forehead is broad and an- 

 ^lar, gradually tapering from this point to the 

 muzzle ; while in the cart-horse the face is large, 

 and the forehead narrow in comparison with that 

 of the blood-horse. 20 



2. 'J'he eye-pit By the depth of the eye-pit 22. 

 we are enabled to form some idea of the age of 

 the horse: at the posterior pa,rt of the eye a con- 

 siderabie quantity of fatty substance is deposited, 

 ■which enables it to revolve in its orbit with facility 

 and freedom : in old age, and in diseases attended 

 ■with general lo.ss of condition, much of this fatty 

 substance disappears, the eye becomes sunken, and 

 the pit above the eye deepens. To obviate this appear- 

 ance, some of the lower class of horse-dealers punc- 

 ture the skin, and, by means of a quill or tobacco- 

 pipe, blow into the orifice, and thus fill up the de- 

 pression. This operation is called " pufling the glims," 

 and may be easily detected by the application of 

 pressure. 



3. The poll. 



i. The muzzle. The muzzle includes the lips, 

 mouth, and nostrils. The darker the color of the 

 muzzle, the more is the horse esteemed. The lips 

 should be thin and firm; in old and slugglish horses 

 they are usually loose and pendulous. 



5. The withers. The speed and action of the 

 horse is intimately connected with the length and 

 height of the withers, and such a development is ab- 

 solutely necessary in the hunter, the hackney, and the 

 fanner's horse ; but in the heavy cart-horse this rule 

 may be reversed, as the more Vjulky and weighty he 

 is before, the more advantageously will his powers be 

 apphed. 



6. The croup. The croup, which extends from the 

 loins to the setting on of the tail, should be long, and 

 but slightly rounded. 



9. The hock. 



10. The sheath. 



11. The flank. The space contained between the 

 ribs and haunches is called the flank; when too ex- 

 tensive, it is an indication of weakness. The flank is 

 usually referred to as indicating the state of respira- 

 tion; dnring fever and chronic disea.ses of the lHng.s, 

 it rises and falls with a rapidity greater than under 

 ordinary circumstances. 



12. The girth or brisket. 



13. The shoulder. A muscular and slanting 

 shoulder is indispensable where action and speed are 

 required; but an upright shoulder may be preferable 

 for horses exclusively destined for the collar. 



14. The elbow. Good judges prefer a deep elbow, 

 as it is always connected with increased power of 

 action. 



15-1.5. The anus. It s universally agreed that the 

 arms should be long, large, and muscular; if they are 

 flat on the sides, and narrow in front as they approxi- 

 mate the shoulders, and deficient in muscle, they are 

 radically defective, and the horse should of course be 

 leiectei 



16. The knee. The knee should be broad, as offer- 

 ing more space for the attachment of muscles; breadth 

 in this part being an indication of strength. 



17-29. The cannon, or shank. The cannon should 

 appear wide when viewed laterally, and thin in front, 

 as any addition besides bone and tendon, must arise 

 from disease, or useless cellular matter. 



18. Back sinews. The back sinews should be 

 large, firm, and distinctly felt from the knee to Iho 

 fetlock. If there be any thickness of cellular matter 

 around them, it indicates previous injury, as a n:p 

 ture of the ligamentous fibres ; and as this thickc 

 ing may limit the motion of the tendon, and predu 

 pose the part to a recurrence of lameness and infla..; 

 mation, such a horse, although perfectly free from 

 lameness at the time of examination, should be re- 

 garded with suspicion, and rejected as unsound. 



19-30. The fetlock joint. It is usual to apply the 

 term fetlock to the joint itself ; and the space be- 

 tween the fetlock and the foot, the pastern ; but, 

 properly speaking, the fetlock, or ybo(iocA', is only the 

 posterior part of the joint, from whence grows a lock 

 or portion of hair. 



20-31. The pasterns. The pasterns should neither 

 be too long nor too short ; if too short, they are 

 non-elastic, and such horses are uneasy goers, and un- 

 safe to ride ; on the contrary, if they are too long, 

 they are frequently too oblique, and although from 

 their elasticity the motion of the horse may be plea- 

 sant to the rider ; yet an increased length of limb is 

 an indication of weakness. 



21-32. The coffin joint 



22-33. The hoof. 



23. The hock. The hock is the most important 

 and complicated joint of the whole animal ; like the 

 knee, it should be hard and extended. An enlarged 

 hock constitutes unsoundness. 



24. The haunch. 



25. The neck. A moderate and elegant curve of 

 the neck adds greatly to the beauty of the horse. 

 The neck is sometimes recurved and hollow ; a horse 

 with such a conformation is called ewe-necked. 



20. The back. The comparative advantage of a 

 long or short back depends entirely on the use for 

 which the horse is intended. For general purposes 

 (says Touatt) a horse with a short carcase is veiy 

 properly preferred. He will possess health and 

 strength — for horses of this kind are proverbially 

 strong. He will have sufficient ease not to fatigua 



