GENERAL VIEW OF THE TRUNK. 159 



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. 133, 

 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 distinctions. 

 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 (p. 166), which are 

 concerned in locomotion, and not in the performance of any 

 vital function. Although the shape of the horses body 

 remains constant — without, of course, taking into considera- 

 tion 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. It has already been 

 remarked that the strength of a muscle more or less 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 pos- 

 sible, compared to its length. The longer it is, the further 

 removed will the fore and hind limbs be from each other, and 

 the less able will the animal be to carry weight- On p. 53 

 we have seen that a short body is a desirable point in the 

 race-horse and jumper. In draught, also, any undue length 

 of body is a disadvantage ; for the farther the fore and hind 



