14 STRUCTURES OF THE BODY. 



for example, were all muscular horses. St. Simon (PI. 7) was 

 a notable example of a horse of the highest class, being 

 of remarkably light build. He had, however, marvellously 

 good shoulders and loins. 



We know from experiment that muscles of the same 

 thickness are stronger in animals of one species than they 

 are in those of another kind ; and we may reasonably infer 

 that even am-ong individual horses the same rule holds good. 

 In fact, we may take for granted that the " quality " of 

 muscle, tendon and ligament, as well as of bone, is better in 

 some horses than in others ; the great factors in producing 

 strong tissue appearing to be : heredity ; residence in a dry, 

 warm climate ; " hard food " ; exercise ; and Eastern blood. 



Ligaments. — The ends of the bones that form joints are 

 held together by white ligaments, which are similar in 

 structure to tendons ; but, unlike them, they serve to connect 

 bones with bones, and, in a few cases, bones with tendons. 

 They have no direct connection with muscles. There are, 

 also, yellow ligaments, which, being elastic, aid in supporting 

 weight without fatigue to the animal. 



Connective Tissue. — The skin, which covers and 

 protects the body, is largely composed of a strong, fibrous 

 structure called connective tissue, which, proceeding inwards 

 from the skin in the form of, more or less, thick layers and 

 bands, furnishes a supporting network for the component parts 

 of the other tissues. Thus, if we compare a slice from the 

 under-cut of a sirloin of beef with one from a round of beef, 

 we shall see that the relative coarseness of grain of the latter 

 Is due to the thickness of the layers of connective tissue 



