BONES. 25 



be looked upon as adjuncts to, or component parts of, 

 their muscles, which are the active organs of move- 

 ment. All these structures are dependent for their 

 development on the blood supply, which is increased 

 by exercise. Thus, continued idleness causes the bones, 

 tendons and ligaments of the legs to become abnor- 

 mally liable to injury. Also, in cases of paralysis 

 of a limb, the bones, as well as the muscles, waste. 

 Hence, when judging of a horse's capacity for standing 

 work, we must not confine our attention to his " bone," 

 without also considering the condition of his muscles, 

 tendons and ligaments. In making practical observations 

 on horses, we may often be greatly assisted in our in- 

 vestigations b)' j udging of the muscles by the bones ; 

 and vice versa. Thus, if we see an animal in poor condition 

 which has been brought on by hardship or want of food, 

 we may, by the appearance of his " bone," form a good 

 idea of what his muscles wijl be when he " fills out." Even 

 when a horse is "fit and well," a display of large, well- 

 shaped bone (of the body as well as of the limbs) should 

 prompt us to consider that his muscles are more powerful 

 than they appear at first glance. I was much struck 

 by this fact when I had the pleasure of closely inspecting 

 the celebrated St. Gatien, whom Mr. John Hammond 

 very kindly showed me in his box, some time before he 

 ran his dead -heat with Harvester for the Derby of 1884 ; 

 for I was greatly " taken " with the sight of the large, 

 symmetrically formed bones of his legs, his long back 

 ribs, and his well-developed pelvis, the inner angle of which 

 was so prominent as to make a distinct " rise " in the 

 outline of his croup ; not to mention his long, sloping 

 shoulders and inunense gaskins. St. Gatien would pro- 

 bably have been the greatest race-horse of all time, 

 had he not suffered from a severe attack of influenza 

 after he won the Cesarewitch as a three-year-old, with 

 8 St. 10 lbs up. On the other hand, if we observe 

 that an animal which is in " dealers' condition " is 



