332 



PRINCIPLES OP IMPROVING DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 



particular should be avoided by those who seek to 

 improve this useful animal by skillful breeding. The 

 lips should be thin, and the mouth, externally, of 

 some depth, characters which render the horse sensi- 

 ble to the guidance of the rein. Thick, short, and 

 «oarse lips indicate dullness of feeling in those parts- 

 and low breeding. The muscles of the face should 

 be distinctly marked, and not loaded with fat or in- 

 teguments. The superficial blood ves.^els should be 

 distinct and somewhat prominent, and the counte- 

 nance should be e.\pressive of energy and intelligence. 

 The windpipe should be large and prominent. The 

 neck should be somewhat arched or convex — a char- 

 acter depending partly on the obhquity of the shoul- 

 ders ; but when speed alone is sought, the neck may 

 be straight, or even a little concave above. The lat- 

 ter conformation forms what is termed the 'ewe neck.' 

 Many excellent race horses have exhibited this con- 

 formation, and it is found in deer and other swift- 

 footed ruminants. 



The back consists of the dorsal and lumbar verte- 

 bra;, and the powerful muscles covering the parts. It 

 commences at the elevated ridge formed by the spi- 

 nous processes of the first dorsal vertebra;, called 

 withers, and familiarly known as the part between the 

 pommel of the saddle and the termination of the 

 mane. Elevation of the withers is connected with 

 the vigorous movement of the fore legs, and is there- 

 fore indicative of action. When the withers are low, 

 the saddle is apt to bear too much on the shoulder 

 and the rider is less secure in his seat. Much has 

 been said and written on the proper length of the 

 back. A short back, like a short rod, is stronger than 

 one of the same substance which is extended in length 

 A short back in a horse Is indicative of strength and 

 ability to carry his rider. It also indicates hardiness 

 of constitution and power of supporting fatigue. But 

 too short a back shortens the paces, and is incompat- 

 ible with great speed. The back may be nearly 

 straight, or convex, or concave ; in the former case 

 the horse is said to be "roached-ljacked" ; in the latr 

 ter, " hollow-backed.'' 



The straight spine is to be prefeiTcd. The lumbar, 

 or loin portion, of the back should be broad, which 

 results from the extension of the transverse processes 

 of the lumbar vertebra;. This conformation indicates, 

 in all cases, strength, and is not inconsistent with 

 speed, but conducive to it, and, therefore, is desirable 

 in horses of every kind. By working a narrow-loined 

 horse with one that has broad loins, both of equal 

 weight, it will be seen that the latter performs his 

 task with less fatigue than the former. Hia muscles 



have the advantage in leverage. With the sacrum 

 commences that part of the horse called the haunch 

 or quarter, which extends from the sacrum to the taiS 

 and downward as far as the larger muscles extend. — 

 The upper line of the haunch formed by the sacrum, 

 and part of the caudal vertebrrc, is usually termed the 

 croup. The croup has a natural convexity, forming 

 a kind of arch. In some horses the croup is much 

 elevated, which is a defect that usually attends a hol- 

 low back, and is indicative of weakness. In other 

 cases, in place of elevation, the croup suddenly declines 

 to the tail. This conformation is ungraceful, and in- 

 jures a breeding mare by lessening the size of the 

 pelvis, and it is unfavorable to progression. In the 

 highly bred horse, the curve in the croup is so slight 

 that it appears nearly straight ; and this is the form 

 which may be regarded as the most symmetrical and 

 perfect. 



As in all swift-footed quadrupeds, the main indica- 

 tions of the power of rapid progression in the horse 

 are afforded by the hind extremitiea These contain 

 bones whose extension backward, when the foot is 

 placed on the grouud, sets and forces the animal for- 

 ward. The expansion and development of the haunch 

 or quarter, determines, in a good degree, the charac- 

 ter of a horse. To give the large muscles attached 

 to the haunch bone, or upper-iliac portion of the pel- 

 vis, a powerful leverage, this bone should be relatively 

 large, and the pelvis broad at this point. A horse 

 whose haunches are so projecting as to appear "rag- 

 ged in the hips," should not be hastily condemned on 

 that account. Let the anatomy and mechanical func- 

 tions of these parts be closely studied, and it will be 

 found that the length of the haunch bone indicates 

 the length of the femur or thigh bone, and if the an- 

 gle of the two be filled, as they should be, with strong 

 muscles, the power of progression in the animal will 

 be increased. In the English race horse, a large 

 quarter is further developed than in any known race 

 of horses, and the superiority of speed and endurance 

 in the English thorough -bred racehorse, is well 

 known. In the greyhound, which is the fleetest of all 

 dogs, the haunch is large and high, as compared with 

 the shoulder. The same feature is seen in the ante- 

 'ope, and in the deer ; and yet more in the hare, 

 whose swiftnes-s far surpasses the horse, greyhound, 

 or antelope, when the relative size of the animals is 

 taken into account 



The conformation of the limbs of a horse, and their 

 connection with the body, are important points. The 

 first bone in the fore leg, called humerus, works in a 

 shallow cavity in the scapula, and moving forward oa 



