INTROD.] SKELETON EXPLAINED. 23 



horse's tail, two tail-bones being concealed in muscle ; whilst [Y. 40.] 

 would bring us to the hindermost pastern, as [Y. 14.] does to the 

 foremost pastern. Again, [K. L. M. N. 14, 15, 1G.] or [K — N. 

 14 — 1G.] directs the reader's attention to the shoulder-bone ; at 

 [M. 20.] is h.is heart, and at [H. 29.] his kidneys are placed. 



The reader will please to observe, that the Frontispiece is meant 

 to be, less what is termed " & pretty picture" than a practically useful 

 one, well calculated to facilitate his comprehension of what is said in 

 this treatise about the living horse, his structure, and internal form- 

 ation ; of his capabilities and all of the diseases arising from their 

 misapplication. To this end, a mere elevation of the skeleton was 

 requisite ; and, that this should be rendered practically useful, it is 

 placed within parallel square lines, for more ready reference. The 

 figure itself, is that of a rather long-bodied hunter ; the blade-bone 

 having been depressed to show the continuity of the vertebrce, or 

 backbone, between the shoulders, and the elbow is bent forward for 

 that purpose, so that the shoulder-bone (or humerus*) is brought to 

 form its sharpest angle ; whilst the same pressure occasions the first 

 six vertebrce, [at E. F. 15 — 19.] to lean backward inordinately, the 

 fourth, fifth, and sixth, being also a little higher than common. This 

 position of the limb, of course, rendered the subject of the plate lower 

 before than he would be were those bones left more straight up and 

 down than they are here represented. See Section viii. Chap. I. 



The reader will observe that the ribs, eighteen in number, are con- 

 nected with the first eighteen vertebrce of the back-bone, i. e. from 

 the first at F. 15. to the last of these at F. 27 : behind this are the six 

 vertebrce of the loins ; next the hip-bone, or pelvis, formed internally 

 basin-fashioned. In fact, this bone in very early life, is composed of 

 several bones, which afterwards knit together ; as do the five vertebrce 

 next behind the pelvis (in the parallel 32 to 35.) form but one bone, 

 though here shewn distinct like a colt's. In like manner is the bone of 

 the face divisible in early life, at the cracks, or sutures, underneath the 

 eye. The bones that together form the back, have each a sinous 

 process, that varies greatly in quantity at the withers ; and this is fur- 

 ther affected by the shape of the whole back, spoken of in the 12:h 

 Section, page 56. All those bones of the back, and neck are so con- 

 nected as to form a secure canal for the spinal marrow to pass through 

 its whole extent, from the head to the tail ; in its course sending out 

 the nerves to every part of the body. Hence the reader will see the 



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