Book VII. ORGANOLOGY OF THE HORSE. 9G1 



called, which is so concealed by muscles as frequently to escape this consit^erat'on of it, 

 by which tJie part immediately below it popularly receives the name of thigh, but which 

 is, in fact, the leg. 



6292. The leg (1, 2), commonly called the thigh, in well formed horses is powerfully furnished with 

 muscles, and very extended in its figure ; it should also make a considerable angle with the femur or real 

 thigh, and form a direct line under the hip or haunch ; for the same reasons that make it desirable to have 

 a long arm in the fore extremities, it is also advantageous that the leg should be so likewise, and this is 

 the form usual among all quadrupeds of speed. 



6293. The hock ('2) is the important joint immgdiately below the leg, or thigh commonly so called, and is 

 interposed between the tibia and tarsal bones [Jig. 830.), purposely to increase the extent of attachment, 

 and to break the shock of great exertion ; it may be considered as the most complex and important joint 

 of the body : like the knee, it should be extended and broad ; for, in proportion as the calcaneum or point 

 of the hock (5), and which is the real heel, extends itself beyond the other bones, so the powerful tendo 

 Achilles inserted into it, acts with a longer lever, and with a greater increase of power. This joint is sub- 

 ject to several important diseases, which, in the examination of a horse, require particular attention ; when 

 a soft puffy swelling is discovered in the ply or bend of the hock (3), it is termed a blood spavin, which will 

 be noticed among the diseases ; it is, in fact, a similar enlargement with the windgalls hefore mentioned, 

 and what has been said on them equally applies to these. When similar mucous capsules become enlarged 

 on each side of the hock, the enlargement receives the name of thoroush-pin. A small bursal enlargement 

 is sometimes found at the very point of the hock (5), and is then called a capulet ; to all which what has 

 been said on windgalls applies, that they are only to be deemed of consequence when so large as to inter- 

 fere with the motion of the parts they are situated with or near ; or, as indicative of an undue portion of 

 work. The ligameets at the back of the hock sometimes become strained or extended, and heat, inflam- 

 mation, and swelhng follow, which is then called arft. As rest or very mild tratment soon reduces it, 

 it is not to be considered as of great consequence. The inner part of the joint at the ply or bend, is some- 

 times attended with a skin affection similar to the mallendcrs before alluded to, and is called scllenders (4) ; 

 but the most serious disease to which the hock is liable, is a disease of the ligaments of some of the tarsa:! 

 bones. Sometimes one or more of these bones, or the ligaments which unite them, inflame, and an 

 exostosis or splint is formed : to detect the existence of this affection, the hocks should be attentively 

 viewed from behind, when any enlargement in the spavin place (3,4) may be easily detected. The me- 

 chanism of this joint will be further considered when we treat of the skeleton generally. 



6294. The colour of horses does not depend on their real skin, as with man, but upon an 

 exterior beautiful covering which nature has given them, called hair ; nevertheless, the 

 hair is, in some measure, influenced by the skin, as light-skinned horses have light hair, 

 and when the hair is light, the eyes are usually so likewise : hair presents many varieties 

 of tint, so horses are said to be of various colours. BufFon has conjectured that horses 

 were originally of one colour, which he presumes to be bay ; but such wild horses as have 

 been seen, and which have been supposed to be pure originals, have not justified this 

 opinion. This same author has divided the colours of the horse into simple, compound, 

 and strange or extraordinary. 



6295. The simple colours are bay, chestnut, dun, sorrel, white, and black ; bay\s a very prevailing tint 

 among European horses, and admits of many shades, but is admired in all : there are bright bays, blood 

 bays, dark and dappled bays ; broicn bay is a very esteemed colour, and consists of bay and black in unequal 

 proportions in different horses : brown horses are highly prized ; the darker varieties have usually 

 beautiful tan markings, as abput the muzzle, &c. : they have commonly also black manes and tails, with 

 legs and feet of the same hue; and it may be here remarked, that horses of compounded colours, of 

 whatsoever tint the mane and tail may be, will be found invariably formed of one of the compounding 

 colours ; tbus light greys, which area compound of black and white, have often white manes and tails : 

 sorrels, again, which are formed of white, with a small proportion of red, have also frequently white manes 

 and tails : chestnut, which is also a very common colour, admits of almost as many shades as the bay, 

 from the lightest tint to the deepest tone. Very light chestnuts have frequently still lighter manes 

 and tails, with mealy legs and light feet ; so marked, they are certainly not to be chosen for strength, 

 durability, or pliancy of temper : the Suffolk punch, however, may be considered in some degree an ex- 

 ception, although the true breed is hardly so light as those hinted at here. Dark chestnuts are con- 

 sidered, and with justice, as fiery in their dispositions j they are also more subject to contracted feet tlian 

 horses of any other hue. Dun is a colour that has several varieties ; it is sometimes accompanied witli a 

 white mane and tail, at others they are seen even darker than the rest of the hair. In some, a list or line 

 of deeper tint extends along the back, which is regarded by some as an indication of hardihood: a 

 similar line i sometimes seen in the bay. Dun horses do not appear to be at all influenced in their quali- 

 ties by their colour, or rather no criteria are offered by It, for there are good, bad, and indifferent in all 

 the varieties of shade. The sorrel is a variety of the chestnut, but not a favourite one. White as a native 

 colour is not in much estimation, neither is it very common, for many horses are white only through age, 

 as all light-grey and flea-bitten horses become so. Black is a very usual colour, and in the large heavy 

 northern breed it seems to be an original tint ; and perhaps it is to this their goodness may be attributed, 

 for, among the lighter breeds, there are more indifferent black horses than of any other colour. The 

 tempers of black horses are commonly in the extreme, either sluggish to stupidity, or fiery to excess. The 

 colour itself admits of many shades ; but a perfect black horse is more unusual thaji it is generally thought 

 to be : a star on the forehead is common to relieve the ebon hue ; and in the absence of that, a iew white 

 hairs on the breast frequently interrupts the uniformity. It is, perhaps, on this principle that black horses 

 have white legs so often as they do. 



6296. The compound colours may be considered as those in which the hairs are compounded, but not 

 the colours themselves ; otherwise the bay, the chestnut, brown, && might be considered as compounded 

 colours. The roan is a mixture of red and white : its varieties are the common, the red, and the dark. 

 All the roans are esteemed. Gj-ey admits of a great number of shades and varieties, but all are com- 

 pounded of black and white, except the iron grey, which receives a few bay hairs among the black and 

 white; a considerable prejudice exists in favour of this colour. Greys are light or dark ; there are also 

 the dappled, the markings of which are extremely beautiful, and the silver grey. Grey horses become 

 lighter by age : many old white horses have been grey until age overtook them. Grey horses, like black, 

 admit of no settled character; though, unlike them, they are not to be generally disapproved of. They 

 have, however, all the extremes within their range ; the darker ones are usually good, the lighter ones not 

 generally so. 



6297. The extraordinary colours are not very numerous, and it may be remarked, that white is alway5 

 the relieving tit, intermixed with distinct -markings, in various proportions, of bay, brown, black, or 

 chestnut. Flea-bitten is grey or white, with small bay spots. When these sjxjts are very large, and Jiave 

 a marginal surface of lighter markings, they give the name tiger coloured ; and although they are un, 

 common with us, they are not unfrequent in Germany and Barbary. Pied or pie-bald is one of the most 

 iaumercms extraordinary colours, and i usually composed of two colours, in distinct large markings, 



3 Q 



