78 FORM AND ACTION. 



one that is big-haunched ; knowing well, that, cceteris paribus, a 

 horse so made cannot be far behind his competitors in the race. 



The pelvis is the name given to that irregular quadrangle of 

 bone which, completing the skeleton posteriorly, constitutes the 

 framework or basis of the rump and hips*. It is formed by the 

 counter-position and part union of the two hip or haunch bones, 

 and by the sacrum or rump-bone, which is let in between them, 

 and makes a sort of roofing to the cavity of the pelvis. In an 

 anatomical point of view, the pelvis is a part of considerable im- 

 portance, from the circumstance of its lodging within its cavity the 

 urinary bladder, and the organs of generation in the female : to us, 

 on the present occasion, it is of importance chiefly on account of 

 its position in regard to obliquity, its shape, and its magnitude, 

 and the consequent facility it affords the femoral bones in their 

 motions, and the leverage it offers to the muscles attached to it. 

 A small or narrow pelvis cramps the viscera within it, leaves insuf- 

 ficient space for the foetus in utero, and produces, exteriorly, what 

 is called " falling-off in the hind quarters" — small rump, and flat 

 and lank haunches. 



A large or wide pelvis throws the hips further apart, making the 

 animal " broad-hipped," or, as he is denominated when the hips 

 are unusually prominent, " ragged-hipped ;" there being, as would 

 appear in the latter case, some deficiency of muscle. Within 

 limits, breadth across the hips is desirable. Cart-horses can hardly 

 be too broad and big about their hind quarters : not so, however, 

 with horses intended for speed. For it must be remembered, that 

 by the increase of the distance across from one hip to the other, 

 the hip-joints, in which the femoral bones perform their motions, 

 are also removed farther apart, wider from the centre of gravity; 

 the consequences of which are, inability on their part to balance the 

 machine and move it, in progression, with the same effect as when 

 they are nearer together. The broad-hipped horse will " stand over 

 more ground," crosswise, than the narrow-hipped one, and will, on 

 that account, maintain a surer standing ; but should he attempt in 

 action to place his feet underneath his body at all centrically, he 

 will only be able to take short steps in advance, and should he not 



1 See the skeleton at page 7. 



