58 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



should not forget that he must at the same time see for the horse as 

 well as for himself 



E.— The Cheek (Fig. 19). 



Situation ; Limits ; Divisions ; Anatomical Base. — The 

 cheek is an almost plane surface, occupying the major portion of the 

 lateral face of the head. It is limited in front by the temple, the eye, 

 and the face; behind by the branches of the inferior maxillary hone ; 

 below by the commissures of the lips ; and, finally, altogether above by 

 the parotid region. 



The cheek has an area more considerable externally than internally, 

 where it forms the lateral parietes of the mouth. The latter surface is 

 generally, though incorrectly, not examined, and we will describe it in 

 connection with the mouth in general. 



Its external surface is divisible into two regions: the one superior, the 

 flat of the cheek, or the masseteric region ; the other inferior, or the buccal region. 

 Their separation is indicated by a vertical gutter in front of the masseter muscle, 

 in which are situated the glosso-facial artery and vein and the duct of Stenon. 

 In its lower half these three structures lie side by side, the artery being anterior 

 and the duct directly against the border of the muscle ; at its middle the duct 

 passes obliquely forward over the side of the cheek, to penetrate it opposite to 

 the anterior border of the third superior molar tooth. 



Its base is formed by the masseter, buccinator, alveolo-labialis, zygomatico- 

 labialis, and maxillo-labialis muscles, separated from the skin by the cuticularis 

 colli. Their surface is covered by the sub-zygomatic plexus of nerves; the 

 superior and inferior molar glands lie opposite to the corresponding teeth. 



The five principal blood-vessels can be located from the exterior : the 

 glosso-facial artery along the anterior border of the masseter muscle ; the superior 

 coronary on the side of the superior maxillary bone, about an inch and a half 

 from its alveolar ridge, with which it is parallel ; the inferior coronary between 

 the branch of the lower jaw and the maxillo-labialis muscle ; the transverse 

 artery of the face parallel with the zygomatic crest ; and the external branch of 

 the maxillo-muscularis parallel with the curvature of the angle of the lower jaw. 



Beauty. — The principal beauty to be sought for in this region 

 consists of its distinct delineation, characterized by the fineness of the 

 skin and the hairs, and the absence of connective tissue rendering the 

 blood-vessels, the nerves, and the muscles distinctly visible through 

 their thickness. Such we find it in horses which belong to the finer 

 races. When it is excessive, it renders the head too sharp. In common 

 horses, on the contrary, the cheek is round in the flat portion and 

 flabby and thick in the buccal portion. 



Defects. — The most frequent defect of this region is called the 

 granary, and is due to irregularities of the molar teeth. In this 

 condition we remark on the exterior an elongated tumor, often lobu- 



