SECTION FOURTH. 



THE HORSE IN RELATION TO LOCOMOTION. 



PART I. 



ATTITUDES AND MOVEMENTS UPON PLACE. 



CHAPTER I. 



ATTITUDES. 



In the exterior we designate under the name attitudes the diverse 

 positions which the horse assumes when at rest, either standing or 

 recumbent. They comprise, consequently, standing up, or station, and 

 Lying down, or decubitus. 



A. — Station. 



Definition; Divisions. — Station is the attitude of the animal 

 standing almost motionless, and touching the ground with his four 

 members or with three of them only. 



It has been divided mio free siwd forced, according to the number 

 of the members which effectually support the body. 



Free station is the attitude of the horse when left entirely to 

 himself. The trunk is usually supported by three members; the 

 fourth, which is always a posterior, remains semi-flexed, touches 

 simply with its toe, and preserves this position until its congener, tired 

 out, then assumes a semi-flexed position itself, thus performing the 

 function which devolved upon it in propping up the body. 



The posterior foot which is not in full contact with the ground is 

 slightly disj)laccd forward and inward. The haunch of this side is 

 lower than that on the opposite side. The base of suppoit, in such 

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