THE 
VETERINARIAN. 
VOL. XV, No. 172.] APRIL 1842. [New Series, No. 4. 
LECTURES ON HORSES. 
By WILLIAM PERCIVALL, M.R.C.S., Veterinary Surgeon 
First Life Guards. 
LECTURE III. 
THE BODY. 
“ In making choice of a horse you must take care that he has a good body, 
and is full in the flanks ; for it is not one of the best signs when the last 
of the short ribs is at a considerable distance from the haunch bone, or 
when the ribs are too much straightened in their compass ; as they ought 
to rise equal with the haunch bone, or nearly so.” * * * “A narrow- 
chested horse can never have a good body, nor breathe well, and such 
horses as have straight ribs, and are at the same time great feeders, will 
soon distend their bellies to such a degree, that it will be impossible for 
their entrails to be contained within their ribs, so they will press down, 
and form what is commonly called ‘ a cow’s belly.’ These horses are 
difficult to be saddled, but have generally good backs ; and though their 
croups are not so beautiful, being for the most part pointed, yet in re- 
compence for that deficiency, they have generally excellent reins.” — 
Farrier' 8 Dictionary. 
FOR convenience of description, the entire animal machine is 
divided into body, neck, head, and limbs or extremities . 
The BODY, in the skeleton, appears formed by the spine, the 
ribs, and the breast-bone : these together constitute an inclosure 
which anatomists call the chest. But in the live or undissected 
animal we have superadded to this, another inclosure, known as 
the belly ; which, from the circumstance of its walls being com- 
posed of soft parts — flesh and skin — leaves no trace of its exist- 
ence in the skeleton. Let us consider, first, 
VOL. XV. B b 
