CONFORMATION 161 



The Pelvis, or haunch, is in reaHty made up of six 

 bones, three on each side, the whole united firmly into 

 one. These are (Plate III.) — 



B The Ilium. 

 C The Ischium. 

 D The Pubis. 



The Ilium is strongly secured to the sacral vertebrae, 

 which form the keystone of the pelvic arch, and has a very 

 large, and often very conspicuous, prominence on each 

 side, just above and in front of the hind-quarters, which 

 stablemen recognise as the hips. When these are 

 abnormally developed the horse is said to be *' ragged 

 hipped," and when the head of a prominence is broken 

 off, as not infrequently happens through striking a side- 

 post when entering a stable, the animal is said to have 

 a " hip down." As a portion of an important muscle, the 

 glutoeus medius, is attached to this prominence, an injury to 

 the bone means a considerable reduction in the power of 

 the muscle, and therefore in the capabilities of the horse. 



The Ischium is the true hip-bone, and is a backward 

 continuation of the ilium. It terminates in two pro- 

 minences, which project on each side a little below the tail, 

 and, though well covered with flesh, are easily recognised. 



The Pubis is connected with the above, and forms the 

 completion of the pelvic arch. 



We now turn to the bones of the second group, and, 

 commencing with the fore-limbs, note that the shoulder- 

 blade, or scapula (Fig. 1, Plate II.), consists of a single 

 bone, of a long triangular form, and is divided into two 

 portions by a ridge running nearly the length of the 

 blade. This ridge of bone gives additional firmness 

 to the shoulder-blade, and affords a surface for the 

 attachment of some very important muscles. The object 

 of the shoulder-blade is to connect the fore-leg with the 

 trunk, just as the haunch-bone performs a similar office 

 for the hind-leg ; but there is this difference between the 

 two ; the shoulder-blade has only a muscular attachment 

 to the trunk, while the haunch-bones are firmly united 



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