PRINCIPLES OP IMI'KOVma DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



331 



the horse, therefore, the point of the hock is the ti i e 

 point of the heel, and, as m the human figure, the 

 great twisted tendons ol the gastrocnemii musclfs are 

 inserted into it ; but the appelhitiou of tendo Achil- 

 les would be too forced here. A broad hock, as al- 

 ready observed in the exterior conformation, may be 

 now still more plainly seen to be very important to 

 strength and speed ; for the longer the calcaneum or 

 heel bone of the hock, the longer must be the lever 

 that the muscles of the thigh act by •, and a very 

 slight increase or diminution in its length must make 

 a very great difference in the power of the joint It 

 is by this tendon acting on this mechanism, that, when 

 the animal has inclined the angle between the canon 

 and the tibia, or, in other words, when the extremities 

 are bent under him in the gallop or trot, he is enabled 

 to open it again. The bones of the hock, like those 

 of the knee, are united together by strong ligamentous 

 fibres ; and it is to an inflamation of those uniting the 

 calcaneum and cuboid bones, that the disease called 

 curb is to be attributed ; and to a similar inflamma- 

 tory affection of the ligaments in the front of the 

 hocks, that spavins of the first stage are owing : in 

 the latter stages the periosteum and bones themselves 

 become affected. The remainder of the bones below 

 do not differ so essentially from the corresponding 

 bones in the fore extremities as to need an individual 

 description. It may, however, be remarked, that the 

 hinder canon, or shank bone, is longer than the fore, 

 and that the pastern is also the same, but is less ob- 

 hque in its situation ; by which wise provision the 

 horse is enabled to elevate and sustain his body en- 

 tirely on his hinder parts without danger ; which 

 would not have been the case if the obliquity of those 

 parts had been considerable. 



This chain of bones being extended, performs the 

 functions of a lever in moving forward the body, the 

 foot, fixed to the ground, being the fulcrum. In like 

 manner the other movements of the animal are per- 

 formed by the flexure and extension of the bones. — 

 It is by means of the muscular forces that all the 



I flexure of the bones, and movements of the other 

 parts, are performed. The muscles constitute the 

 greater part of all the solid matter of the body, form- 

 ing the flesh of the animal, and entering into the com- 

 position of vessels, ducts, and sacks, within the body. 

 They are possessed of the property of contracting 

 under the influence of the will, and often independ- 

 ent of it, and, by this contraction, of producing mo- 

 tion in the parts with which they are connected ; and 

 all the movements of animals, from the smallest inflex- 

 ion of the voice to the most extended motions of the 



limbs, are produced by the contractile power of these 

 organs. When they are to give motion to bones, the 

 fleshy part terminates in tendons, which are attached 

 like ropes or cords to the parts to be moved. 



The muscles of the horse, as of other animals, may 

 be divided into classes, according to the functions 

 which they have to perform, or the parts of the body 

 to which they pertain. 



Both the external and internal muscles are numer- 

 ous, and any intelligent description of each would ex- 

 tend this paper to a greater length than is desirable. 

 It is only by proper exercise and feeding that these 

 primarj sources of power can be fully developed. — 

 Colts should be sparingly fed on corn, if it be given 

 them at all, for it is not so favorable to the growth 

 of muscle as oats, peas, or good clover hay. But no 

 excellence in muscular development will compensate 

 for serious defects in the skeleton. A small, narrow 

 chest, in which the lungs and heart have to perform 

 their important functions, renders the animal feeble in 

 wind and action, no matter what his weight or flesh. 

 The chest should be broad, as well as deep, the breadth 

 being indicated by the fore legs standing some dis- 

 tance apart where they join the body; great width of 

 chest, as compared with its depth, is to be avoided, 

 for it tends to impair the speed of the animal. 



The ribs rising from the vertebra; of the back, in- 

 crease in length until the ninth, and in curvature to 

 the last, so that the body gradually passes from the 

 eliptical form and becomes nearly circular. The ribs 

 should possess the proper degree of curvature, so that 

 the sides shall not be flat and the body narrow. A 

 flatrsided, narrow-backed horse rarely possesses endu- 

 rance or good action. The head of the horse should 

 be symmetrical and small, rather than large, for a 

 large head adds nothing to the muscular power of the 

 animal, while its weight encumbers him and demands 

 daily nourishment equal to its weight. A certain 

 breadth and height of forehead are valuable indica- 

 tions of high breeding, and may be presumed to show 

 sagacity and spirit. The ears should be free from 

 coarseness, as a critical observer will readily detect a 

 want of spirit, and a dull, sluggish temperament, by 

 the presence of large, thick, hanging ears. Pointed 

 and erect ears are favorable indications. 



The nostrils should be expansive, not thick and 

 narrow. The horse breathes exclusively, or nearly 

 so, through the nostrils, and the power of enlarging 

 these passages is the measure of his power of filhng 

 the lungs with air, and consequently of his strength 

 of "wind." All horses that possess the power of rapid 

 motion have expanded nostrils, and a defect in this 



