The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1872-06-28
For the Farmer.


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This interesting description Of the scv.
eral parts Of the horse, and the recon-
mendations rs to the choice Of different
animals for any given kind of work,
commenced in number sixteen Of this
Journal and will conclude in our next.
THE cIIEsr q.
Is bounded in front by the neck, on csch
side by the ribs and shoulder bad be:
low by the breast bone, above by the
spine, and behind by the diaphragm,
which separates II from the bowels. A
line drawn from the region of the kid
neys, Immediately behind the saddle seat,
and terminating short distance behind
the girths at the breast bone, will point
out, with tolerable accuracy, the position
of diaphragm. II Is alarge expansion
Of muscular tissue, and stretches across
from side to side, in such way as to
completely separate the body into two
gueat cavities. BY its motion backward
and forward either Of these cavities can
be lessened or enlarged as circumstances
may require. The large cavity called
the chest, which intervene between the
boundaries specified, is occupied almost
entirely by the heart and lungs. The
lungs are very elastic, and are capable Of
being greatly collapsed or distended at
certain periods during the process of rus
piration. The shape and size Of the chest
are matters Of no triaing Importance, as
they in n great measure govern the con-
dition of the lungs. In every instance
the chest should be large and capacious,
but its exact shape may vary little, ac-
cording to the purpose for which the
horse is required. In the animal for slow
work and heavy draught, it may approach
toward the circular form. In proportion
as We pass from the draught horse,
through the different degrees of speed up
to the racer, in thesame proportion must
the depth Of the chest, when compared
with its roundness. increase. The car
riage horses should have a round and
deep chest, the roadster, trotting horse
and saddle horse still deeper, and the
racers should be shaped like a greyhound,
at the same tins observing q fair pro.
portion Of bfakds DepsE Of chest Z !
Indispensable for speed combined Will
distance. As the Iungs of the horse oc
cupy much larger space when he is in
active exercise than when he Is at rest
we are justified in concluding that he re
quires to have the power of increasing
the size of his chest in proportion as hs
is called upon to increase his speed. Tho
chest must, to n certain extent, be Aatt
ened ON the sides in order that it may bt
capable of being changed from the clip
tical into its circular form. The direc
ton Of the ribs, as they spring from the
backbone, must be particularly attended
to. If, in place of being arched above,
they come sloping down like the foot Of
a horse, the upper part Of the cavity
must necessarily be narrowed. This is q
great defect, inasmuch as the form of the
ribs near the backbone will not permit
such an elevation as would be sufficient
to change the upper region of the cavity
of the chest from the elliptical 10 the cir
cular shape. In every horse they should
come out for considerable distance from
the backbone, so as to present broad
and somewhat fiat surface above. The
condition Of the parts will be best OBJ
served by looking over the back from be
hind. The part upon which the saddle
rests ought to be well filled up, so as to
place the saddle in a comfortable position.
Where the ribs commence their descent
on the side they should either preserve a
tolerably rounded shape or become mod
erately hattened. according to the use for
which the horse is intended. The circle,
however, must he resumed as they ap
proach the brcastbone below. for the pur'
pose Of giving breahth to the floor Of the
chest The power of motion possessed
by the walls Of the chest is greatest on
the side, much less at the backbone and
very limited at the region of the spine.
The breadth of the chest may be esti'
mated by the width of the breast or coun.
ter, and by the fallness of the ribs be-
hind the shoulder and foreleg. 1t ought
to be broad enough TO give substance to
the shoulders and capacity to the chest
without adding much weight to the fore
quarter or separating the legs too far from
each other. In all cases the counter must
he well supplied with strong and promi'
nent muscles.
THE sTRESUM OR BREAST BONE,
which forms the floor of the chest, re
quires to be long. II ought to drop both
between and behind the legs. There Is
nothing more 10 be desired in horse
than long and let-down sternum, as il
adds to the cavity OF the chest, both be
hind and below. at the same time that il
throws the girths of the saddle far hack
into comfortable position.
The best way to ascertain the condition
of horses lungs is to take him fresh
from the stable and run him quickly
down mot up) a hill. The pressure Of
the liver, stomach and bowels, through
the diaphragm, on the lungs will very
soon tell, by the presence or absence OF a