Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 10.djvu/255

HORSE. the dip in front of the withers to the depression caused by the union of the neck and breast. On the top of the neck, and immediately behind the ears, is the poll; and extending from the withers to the ears, along the upper part of the neck, is the crest. The groove on each side of the neck just above the windpipe is known as the jugular groove. The chest is divided from the belly or abdomen by the diaphragm, and includes the cavity in which are situated the lungs and heart, and which occupies nearly the front third of the trunk. The term breast is frequently used to describe the part herein treated under chest. The upper boundary of the shoulders is formed by the withers, and the rear border may be taken from behind the ‘swell’ of the muscle, situated just below the withers to the elbow. A little below the junction of the neck and shoulder, on each side of the chest, is a prominent bony angle, known as the point of the shoulder. The withers are the bony ridges which constitute the forward continuation of the back and end abruptly in the crest. The elbow is the bony projection at the upper posterior part of the forearm, which latter is found between the shoulder and the knee. The upper boundary of the knee may be decided by a line drawn at right angles to the direction of the leg above the knee-joint, and the lower boundary by a line joining the point where the line of the cannon-bone meets that of the knee, with that where the line of the back tendon is terminated by the trapezium, at the back of the knee. The cannon-bone is situated between the knee and the fetlock. At its back are two small bones, known as the outside and inside splint-bones. The cannon is the very confusing name applied to that part of the leg situated between the knee and the fetlock (i.e. footlock, a tuft of hair growing behind the fetlock joint). The joint which the cannon-bone makes with the pastern is called the fetlock joint. Between the fetlock and the hoof is a short column of bones called the pastern, the lower portion of which, called the coronet, is immediately above the hoof. The hoof is a horny box inclosing the lower part of the limb. The lowest front part of the hoof is the toe; the sides are quarters; and the lowest rear part the heels. The exterior or outer part of the hoof is termed the wall, which in turn is divided into an outer covering or crust, and a soft inner layer of non-fibrous horn. In the centre of the ground surface of the hoof is a triangular buffer called the frog, in the middle of which is a division termed the cleft of the frog; turned inward at the heels, and running more or less parallel to the sides of the frog, are the portions of the wall called the bars of the hoof. The ground surface of the foot between the wall, bars, and frog, is called the sole. The back includes the withers, but not the loins; which parts, together with the ribs on each side, constitute the boundaries of what may properly be termed the back. It has been described as an ill-defined region, owing to the many different opinions on the subject. The loins are found between the back and croup, with the flanks on each side. The ribs lie between the shoulders, flanks, belly, and brisket or sternum. The flank is that part of the horse's side between the loins, ribs, thigh and hip-joint, and the belly. The hollow of the flank is the upper portion of the flank. The belly is the cavity which contains the stomach, liver, spleen, intestines, kidneys, bladder, etc. The brisket is

the lower part of the chest. The croup is that portion of the upper part of the body placed between the loins and the tail. Broadly stated, it extends down on each side to the point of the buttock. The thigh has been cleverly defined as separated from the stifle, flank, croup, buttock, and gaskin by a horizontal line drawn from the upper end of a straight line made by the ham-string, which proceeds toward the thigh from the point of the back. While not anatomically correct, it is the general acceptation of the term. The gaskin lies between the thigh and the back, which latter is found between the gaskin and the hind cannon-bone. The dock is the solid part of the tail. . It is very difficult, if not impossible, to formulate any rules by which the age of a horse may be accurately determined. To an expert horseman the lightness and elasticity of step of the animal under examination will afford a general clew; or better still, the contour of the lower jaw, which grows more and more angular with increasing age. It is to some structure of the animal little liable to change, however, that we must look for any very accurate gauge, and the only structure answering that requirement is that of the teeth, which must be examined according to the following rules: The six teeth or nippers, situated in the front of the lower jaw, are the ones examined to determine the question, although the tushes are a partial indication, and are sometimes used in arriving at a decision. In this article, the two middle nippers will be referred to as the central nippers; the ones on each side of these, as the middle nippers, and the ones at each end of the group as the corner nippers. At two and a half years of age, the permanent central nippers are just through the gum, the temporary middle and corner nippers still remaining; one year later the permanent middle nippers are in evidence, and between the fourth and fifth year the corner nippers will be through. About this time changes will be noticed in the condition of the earlier teeth; for instance, the middle pair look as the central pair did at two and one-half years, and the central nippers are showing signs of wear. Between the ages of five and nine, considerably more experience is necessary for an accurate judgment than has been required before. At nine years of age the previous oval shape of the teeth becomes more triangular; at ten the central nippers take a pronounced triangular shape, and the middle pair give evidence of a like tendency, followed at eleven years by the growth of the corner nippers in the same direction. The tushes become rounded at the points, and the nippers are longer and project more, the central nippers being completely triangular. The signs of wear and tear, and the growth of the evidences already described, continue with increasing age, so that at twenty years the nippers are all exceedingly triangular, projecting forward to a great degree, and are very long.

The character or temperament of a horse cannot be discerned short of actual experience, by any known formula or given rules; for while the experienced horseman may judge approximately by noting the shape of the face and head, and the expression of the eyes, he will, as a rule, be unable to explain the method or rules upon which his conclusions are based. Like men, horses are of different dispositions, and exhibit such varied