CHINKED BACK. 77 



if this was seated in the vertebra?, the chances are 

 that it would, and locked jaw and death be the 

 result. 



If the reader has in view any horse that he is 

 aware is in some way injured in the back or loins, 

 and is very desirous, notwithstanding this, to have 

 him, I will make him as au fait as I can of the 

 leading characteristic appearances that distinguish 

 mere muscular strain from injury of the vertebrse. 

 On pinching the loins, a horse affected in either 

 way will crouch, evincing pain from the pressure ; 

 but see him trotted ; if it is only a muscular af- 

 fection, though he may go carefully so as to avoid 

 all the motion he can of the muscles of the loins, 

 he will still go straight, and the body will move 

 connectedly ; but if it is the spine that is injured, 

 he will, if looked at from behind, rock in his gait, 

 as we sometimes see a loaded stagecoach do. In 

 fact, his hind quarters will sway from side to side, 

 figuratively, like the tail of a kite ; as if, like it, 

 they were influenced by some power not belonging 

 to the body ; and so in point of fact they may be 

 said to be ; they seem actuated by the hind legs 

 only. This distinguishing peculiarity cannot well 

 be mistaken : and in the latter case I think my 

 reader would not hesitate in his rejection. 



Any injury of the back is of more consequence 

 than many persons may imagine : it is true a horse 

 may work with an injured spine, but a little more 



