STANDING AT EASE. 



83 



When the working hind hmb becomes tired, the other one 

 takes its turn of work ; and so on. 



When a couple of long -tailed horses are in the open 

 at liberty, they will sometimes elect to stand head and 

 tail together, so that each one by the action of its tail 

 can keep flies off its own hind-quarters, and off the head, 

 neck, and shoulders of its fellow. 



If, while standing still, horses are exposed to inclement 



-1 



/'/ivto b[j] 



Fig. 52. — Standing at Attention. 



i.M. II. H. 



weather, they will generally try to turn their hind-quarters 

 towards the direction from which the rain or wind 

 proceeds (p. 416). 



The fore limbs of a horse are furnished with special 

 fibrous bands (ligaments), which, during rest, take the 

 weight off the muscles that straighten the various joints. 

 These ligaments are composed of hard, inelastic, fibrous 

 tissue, and act simply as strong cords in connecting the 



6* 



