CHAP. I.] CO-ADAPTATION OF THE LIMBS. 35 



those horses (blood) where tendon supplies the 

 place of muscle, and most strength resides in the 

 smallest compass ; and, as may be proved by the 

 obstruction to his paces, which is always observa- 

 ble in the horse burthened with very muscular 

 shoulders. Equally true is it, that, after we have 

 approved of the proportions of a pair of horses in 

 respect to bone and built, certain powers of going, 

 or of lastingness, are frequently discovered to be 

 possessed by one so much beyond his match, that 

 we are compelled to admit those powers do reside 

 in something else than in his built. Superior 

 health, sound wind, courage, give this strength, 

 with speed and lastingness : the bones being then 

 well cased together, and strongly supported by 

 their immediate covering, have full and fair play *. 

 But wherever they be fundamentally ill-adapted 

 to each other, in whatever degree this escapes our 

 observation, the muscles and tendinous parts adapt 

 themselves in some measure to that lamentable 

 kind of form, but which no filling up, or after- 

 accommodation of the parts to each other, can 

 completely eradicate, though it may be concealed 

 from our view. The muscle that is so perverted 

 rises up in the middle preternaturally, as if some 

 sprain or other had caused that appearance ; the 



* Firing \s supposed to restore derangement of the integuments, by 

 causing inflammation and contraction thereof upon the bone so as 

 to embrace it more tightly. This is effected by much of the muscle 

 being taken up into the system, or sloughing off in the cure ; as well 

 as the contraction of the flexor tendon (back sinew) and its sheath, 



c 6 



