THE HORSE.-NO. 4. 
117 
blade, where it ends almost in a point. It occupies 
the space between the withers and the upper part 
of the shoulder-blade. It is large and strong in 
proportion to the height of the withers and the 
slanting of the shoulder. It supports the shoulder- 
blade, raises it, and draws it back. Attached to the 
immovable withers, it moves the movable bone 
of the shoulder to accomplish motion. As it is so 
important for motion it should be large, and hence 
the necessity for high withers and obliquity of the 
shoulder-blade, that it may be large. The withers 
should have some fleshiness about them, to give 
this fullness of muscle. Otherwise, the high wither 
and oblique shoulder will want their proper mus¬ 
cular force to secure proper motion of the shoulder 
blade. 
-iaCscles of the Outside of the Shoulder. 
Fig 25. 
At c, fig. 25, is a portion of the muscle called the 
shoulder raiser. Descending from the head, it at¬ 
taches itself to the first four or upper bones of the 
neck, and to the ligament of the neck. It is in¬ 
serted into the muscles of the shoulder, and of the 
shoulder point (at/', fig. 25), and ends by attaching 
itself on to the ridge and the body of the shoulder- 
blade. Its uses and powers are immense. It raises 
and draws forward the shoulder and the arm of the 
leg in motion, and when the horse is standing turns 
the head and neck, if the muscle on one side only 
is used, and lowering the head and neck if those of 
both sides be used, as before mentioned in No. 2 of 
our series. 
At d, fig. 25, is a portion of the great saw-shaped 
muscle before mentioned. It lies between the shoul¬ 
der and the side of the chest. It is an external 
muscle, on the lower part of the neck, and there 
constitutes the bulk of the neck. It disappears 
from its outside position, and passes in between the 
shoulder-blade and the chest. It is deeply seated, 
and springs from the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh 
bones of the neck, and is attached to the first eight 
ribs on the inner side and on to the shoulder-blade 
on its outer side. Its size is immense, as it needs 
be, for it holds the shoulder to the chest and sup¬ 
ports the body on the legs in front. This muscle 
has still another use. Like the intercostal muscles, 
it assists in breathing, as it acts powerfully to ex¬ 
pand the chest. 
At e, fig. 25, is seen a portion of the splint-lilce 
muscle, described at page 76 of the present volume 
Its office is to raise the head and neck. 
At/,/', lies a muscle (sometimes called apart 
of the shoulder raiser), which starts from the tuber¬ 
cle (or nipple-shaped elevation) of the bones of the 
temple. It runs dowm the fore and under part of 
the neck, is inserted on to the upper and middle 
part of the lower bone of the shoulder, and from 
thence is continued down to the arm. Its purpose 
is double; when the horse stands it bends the head ; 
when he moves it raises and brings forward the arm 
of the leg. As the speed in motion is greater or 
less, so is its action. 
In fig. 25, g represents a part of the muscle ex¬ 
tending from the lower jaw to the fore part of the 
chest. It is described at page 76, second column. 
It bends the head and lowers it. k , is the principal 
part of this muscle, extending from the shoulder- 
blade to the lower bone of the shoulder. It serves 
to draw the lower bone back and upward towards 
the shoulder-blade, and assists to bend' the leg. 
Great action is required of it, and therefore it is 
very tendinous. Its position gives it great me¬ 
chanical advantage, and when the shoulder is quite 
slanting it is still more powerful. 
The muscle at i, fig. 25, in front of the ridge of 
the shoulder-blade, is situated on the outer and front 
part of the shoulder. It is attached to the lower 
bone of the shoulder also, and to a bony ridge ex¬ 
tending from it to the ligament of the shoulder joint. 
Its office is to bring forward, bend, and give an out¬ 
ward motion to the lower bone of the shoulder. 
The muscle/, fig. 25, situated behind the ridge 
of the shoulder-blade, occupies the space there. It 
is inserted into the outer and upper head of the 
lower bone of the shoulder. It draws this bone 
outward and upward. 
At h, fig. 25, lies the small breast muscle. It is 
common to the breast and shoulder-blade. It arises 
from the breast bone and extends to the covering 
of the shoulder joint, and the muscles of the shoul¬ 
der. It has an action in common with the great 
breast muscle. 
The great breast muscle is situated at n. Its office 
is to draw the lower part of the shoulder-blade and 
the head or upper part of the lower shoulder bone. 
