414 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



the shoulder blade, spreads out like a fan on the sides of the chest and 

 neck, and ends on the cervical vertebrae and first 8 or 9 ribs. Fig. 

 155 shows a front view of the muscular attachment of the scapula to 

 the neck and trunk. 



When the horse is standing, the base of support is represented by a 

 rectangle the corners of which are the horse's feet. In the walk, the 

 base of support is triangular, for then only three feet touch the ground. 

 In the trot or pace, only two feet touch the ground, and the base of 

 support will be represented by a line. In the run or gallop, the base 

 of support is a point. Thus as speed increases there is a corresponding 

 decrease in stability. 



The horse in motion. — We have seen that the horse is rather un- 

 stable because the center of weight lies almost over the fore legs. 

 Hence the fore legs answer the purpose simply of a support to the 

 horse's weight when he is in motion. If we could replace the fore legs 

 with a wheel, we would have an equally efl^cient motor. 



When a man walks, he leans forward in order to throw the center 

 of his weight ahead of his base of support. This causes him to begin 

 to fall forward, and indeed he would fall if he did not advance his foot 

 and so bring his base of support once more under, or nearly under, the 

 center of weight. Walking is simply a succession of interrupted falls. 

 The same is true of the horse. In walking he pushes backward against 

 the ground with his hind feet and causes his center of weight to tip 

 forward. The result is that he begins to fall, and if he did not advance 

 a fore foot he would land on his head. By stepping forward he again 

 assumes his equilibrium and immediately tips his weight forward again 

 by propelling with his hind legs. Walking is simply the repetition of 

 this performance over and over again. 



In the trot and the gallop or run, there is the same backward thrust 

 with the hind feet and the same recovery with the fore feet, but the 

 thrust is much greater, the stride is longer, and the shock and effort 

 in the recovery are increased in proportion. 



In 1897, Tod Sloan, a famous American jockey, went to England 

 to ride. He practiced the same seat which all American jockeys use 

 and with which all Americans are familiar. Its peculiar feature is that 

 the jockey sits as far forward on the horse as possible. When Sloan 

 appeared on English race courses he was severely ridiculed, for at that 

 time English jockeys were not familiar with our methods and it was 

 thought Sloan was trying to attract attention to himself by adopting 

 a ridiculous position on his horse. Race-going people laughed at him 

 until it was noticed that he was enjoying unusual success at winning 

 races. Sloan rode 20 winners during his first season in England, 43 

 the next, and in 1899 he was first past the post with no fewer than 108 



