THE ANATOMY OF THE HORSE 



35 



Fig. 17. Seven years of age. 



lumbar, are in the 

 loins ; five are fused 

 into a single bone, 

 the sacrum, located 

 at the croup, and 

 about eighteen 

 comprise the coc- 

 cyx or tail bones. 

 The spinal cord 

 passes through all 

 these bones, except- 

 ing beyond the 

 fourth or fifth ver- 

 tebraB of the tail. 

 The thoracic verte- 

 brae have long projections or spines, which reach the highest 

 point at the top of the fourth and fifth vertebrae, forming 

 the withers. The line of the tops of the spines, gives a 

 curved outline to the backbone, which makes it impossible 

 for a horse to have a flat back, there being a necessary de- 

 pression from the withers to the back of the loin. 



The ribs of the horse usually number eighteen on a 

 side, though there are sometimes nineteen. Eight of these 

 are true and ten 

 are false. By 

 means of carti- 

 lage at the lower 

 end, each true rib 

 is connected with 

 the breast bone. 

 The first false rib 

 connects by carti- 

 lage with the end 

 of the last true 

 one, and each 

 other false one is 

 attached to the Fig . is. Eight years of age. 



