142 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



encumbered ancient veterinary medicine, serves as a pretext for a treatment of 

 which the region sometimes bears the traces, and which is too often the proof of 

 the uncertainty into which a lameness whose seat is unknown sometimes leads the 

 veterinarian. Be that as it may, it will be necessary to examine carefully the other 

 regions of the posterior member in which the coxo-femoral articulation presents 

 evidence of such disease. 



The blemishes of the croup are not numerous. They are due to excoria- 

 tions and wounds which result from continued friction, caused by a misfitting or 

 a vicious application of the crupper. 



The muscles of the croup, with those of the thigh and buttock, sometimes 

 become the seat of atrophy, which, manifesting itself by a considerable reduction 

 in their volume, places the osseous apparatus in relief. 1 



This atrophy of the croup, whether of nervous origin or otherwise, is always 

 due to a prolonged inactivity of the muscles, and is sometimes rebellious to treat- 

 ment. It depreciates the value of the animal, especially when it is the manifes- 

 tation of a local paralysis. 



The Haunch. 



Situation ; Limits ; Anatomical Base. The haunch, an 

 asymmetrical region, is situated upon the antero-external part of the 

 croup, with which it becomes more or less confounded, according to 

 the subject. It is for this reason that its study as a distinct region 

 is somewhat difficult. 



It is limited below by the flank and the anterior crural region, 

 above by the loins and the croup, and has for its principal base the 

 external angle of the ilium and the muscles which attach to the latter. 



Related in front to the hollow of the flank and behind to the 

 croup, it forms, in horses of a coarse conformation, a large eminence 

 which then receives the qualification well detached. If its prominence 

 be due to the meagre development of the surrounding muscles, as is 

 sometimes seen in lean and poorly-developed subjects, in the angular 

 croup of certain Norman horses, and in many with oblique croups, it 

 becomes defective and renders the animal too angular. We are familiar 

 with the old jest alluded to by De Curnieu, in which the jockey tries to 

 hang his hat on the haunch of a horse which is very meagrely developed 

 in this respect. 2 



When prominence of the haunch is not due to a vicious conforma- 

 tion of the croup, it simply appears ungraceful to the eye and has no 

 influence upon the qualities of its possessor. 



In other instances, the haunch may show an opposite defect ; it is 

 not sufficiently salient, and then becomes effaced, low, dropped, or sunken. 



1 H. Bouley, Nouveau Dictionnaire de medecine, d'hygiene et de chirurgie vet^rinaires, t. 

 viii. p. 517. 



2 De Curnieu, Lemons de science hippique generate, 1855, t. i. p. 248. 



