1 86 THE TRUNK. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



THE TRUNK. 



General View of the Trunk — Chest and Ribs — Abdomen — Withers — Breast — 

 Back and Loins — Points of the Hips — Flank — Croup — Anus — Tail. 



General View of the Trunk. — We have seen on p. 155, 

 that, as the work which the organs (heart, lungs, liver, spleen, 

 stomach, intestines, kidneys, etc.) contained in the trunk 

 have to do, is the same, whatever may be the kind of horse ; 

 the shape of the trunk will not be affected by class dis- 

 tinctions. In this particular, the conformation which will, for 

 instance, be most suitable for a Derby winner, will be that 

 which is best for a cart-horse. In laying down this general 

 rule, I must make an exception of the withers, which {see 

 p. 194) are concerned in locomotion, and not in the per- 

 formance of any vital function. Although the shape of the 

 horse's body remains constant — without, of course, taking into 

 consideration individual peculiarities — the bones which make 

 up the entire structure should agree as to thickness with 

 those of the legs ; for several of the muscles that are 

 attached to them, are also attached to the limbs. I may 

 mention that the strength of a muscle regulates the thickness 

 of the bone to which it is fixed. 



In all cases, the body should be as short as possible 

 compared to its depth ; or, in other words, as deep as posr 



