LATERAL FACES OF THE HEAD. 4o 



Let us refer to cei'tain movements which have not been considered. 

 These are forward and backward oscillations of the ears of some horses 

 during work, and particularly during laborious efforts. At each step 

 or at each effort the animal carries the ears quickly forward, then back- 

 ward to their primitive position, and repeats this action during the con- 

 tinuance of the work. We know of no appropriate expression to 

 qualify these singular oscillations. 



En resume, the ear is beautiful when it is short, directed forward, 

 well situated, clean, fine, covered by a thin and adherent skin, with few 

 hairs in the interior of the concha. 



Defects. — Ears long, thick, and transversely horizontal designate 

 a horse as being lop-eai'ed. This ungraceful carriage does not neces- 

 sarily detract from the good qualities of the animal. There are many 

 lop-eared horses none the less excellent for service. Nevertheless this 

 defect is more common in lymphatic horses than in those of the finer 

 races. 



We speak also of horses whose ears are held in a horizontal di- 

 rection and undergo, during locomotion, alternate elevations and de- 

 pressions. It has been said of such, more picturesquely than properly, 

 that they limp at the ear. This peculiarity may exist on the right, on 

 the left, or on both sides simultaneously. 



When the ear is thick, large, and decidedly pendulous, overhanging 

 the parotid region, it is called swine-ear. This defect is no more grave 

 than the preceding, but it is more unpleasant to the eye. 



The ears are restless or uncertain Avhen the animal keeps them 

 in continual motion in the stable as well as during exercise. This is 

 an evidence of a timid nature, impaired vision, or even total blindness. 

 It seems that in the last two instances, as H. Bouley ^ has said, the 

 animal endeavors to compensate for the loss of vision by turning the 

 auditory apparatus in various directions ; he endeavors to see by the 

 sense of hearing. 



In the language of horsemen, horses are skittish if they worry and 

 fret at the least noise when they are driven into such or such a place in 

 the stable or made to execute certain movements ; it is often remarkable. 



Finally, some horses carry the ears backward against the superior 

 border of the neck. It is evidence of a bad disposition and an inclina- 

 tion to strike or bite when approached. 



Blemishes. — The blemishes of this region are numerous. 



1st. It is quite common to observe draught-horses whose ears are 



1 H. Bouley, Maison rustique, t. ii. p. 195. 



