Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-18
NO. 81.

mot up) hill. The pressure of the liver.
stomach and bowels, through the dia-
phragm, on the lungs will very soon tell,
by the presence or absence of q cough or
a sneeEe, their normal or abnormal condl-
ton. The ordinary method of running
him up the hill may be good test for
rearing or whistling, but it IS not 50 GER
tain criterion for cough as the plan
suggested.
THE SHOULDER aa
contains two important bones imbedded
In a mass of strong muscles One of these
is called the scapula; the other is called
the humerus, or arm bone. The scapula
runs from the point of the shoulder below
to the edge of the withers above, Its out
line is well marked and easily traced when
the horse is thrown into action. Its length
bears an intimate relation to the length Of
the animals stride, and consequently it
can hardly be too long. The position Of
its upper extremity should be particularly
observed. 1t ought to be as close - pos
sible to the ribs and spine. If IL Is 50
wide set as to permit a persons fingers to
be thrust between it and the withers, the
action of the iorequarters will be clumsy
and unsafe. The length and slope Of The
shoulder are to be estimated by the length
and slanting position of the shoulder-blade
and not, as is very often the case. by the
appearance of the shoulder top.
The humerus, or lower bone Of the
shoulder, is strong and round In its shalt,
1t reaches from the lower end of tie scap-
lula, at the point of the shoulder, 70 the
top of the foreleg. and by its means the
shOulder-blade is united to the leg. 4 long,
well slanted scapula, and tolerably long,
well slanted humerus must, of necessity,
form deep and elastic shoulder, while
the leg will be favorably placed in reEer-
ence to the weight it is destined to carry.
The points of the shoulder should be light.
The leg must not under any circumstances,
be placed at great distance from the
front of the counter; nor should it on the
other hand, be brought very far forward.
A medium position is decidedly the best,
as that will insure favorable leverage
with moderate weight. There is . Pc
culiarity in the attachment of the shoul-
der-blade to the bsdy which does not oc-
eur in any other part of the animal. All
other bones are united together by the i'm
vention Of cartilages or joints; but in this
case the union with the body is effected
solely by the means of muscular substance.
There is nothing approximating to joint.
The shOulder-blade is embedded, as it
were, in mass of muscles. This arrange
ment serves completely to break the
SHOCK OF THE GALLOP
or leap, and, at the same time renders the
shoulder lameness very rare occurrence.
except as the consequence of direct local
injury. If the shoe-smiths were aware Of
| this fact they would not trace to the shoul-
der, as they invariably do, one-half Of the
diseases which are located in the foot and
leg. BY referring the lameness to the
shoulder the smith can easily get rid Of the
results of bad shoeing. The light draught
horse should have a strong and thick but
moderately slanting shoulder. In road
sters, trotting and saddle horses, the with.
ers should be high and the shoulders well
laid back. The high withers will mainly
assist in raising his forequarters from the
ground, while the slanting direction Of the
shoulders will increase his stride.
The arm should be very broad at its
junction with the body, for the purpose OF
affording an extensive basis for the at
cles are the only moving power in the an
extending and hexing the foot and knee
are situated on the arm, it must follow
that the strength of the arm is a matter
of the bone called the elbow, which can
easily be felt at the back part Of the top Of
the arm, demands attention. The adyan-
tage in muscular action which is gained
by the addition of an inch in its length is
very great, as could easily be proved
by a reference to the principle of the lev
er in mechanics. 1t is Of great impor-
lance to have the elbow far back from the
front of the arm.
The more breadth and strength there is
in this locality the better. There are
three masses OF muscle connected with the
arm, all capable of being seen and dis
tinctly felt One Of these masses is placed
on the outer edge of the arm in front the
second directly behind and the third on
the inside, at the junction of the leg and
chest. They must all be large and strong.
The first and second are engaged In ex-
tending and fiexing the limb, the third
confines the arm to the side, keeps the
| leg in a straight line and prevents the
limbs from being widely separated. None
of them can be dispensed with, as al
have most onerous duty to perform.
THE KNEE.
The knee should be fiat and very broad
1t is exposed to frequent and violent con
cussions, and therefore requires q great
breadth of surface for the purpose Of af.
fording sufficient room for the insertion OF
such powerful tendOns and ligaments a.
are required about joint composed of
eleven sometimes twelye) different bones
There is an arch or bridge directly be-
hind the knee, through which some Of the
tendons belonging to the muscles Of the
arm pass. If not placed at o proper dis
tance behind the end Of. the shank bone
the tendons will be tied in. This Is .
great defect. The arch. which il COM
posed Of igaments and bone called the
trapezium, requires to be strong and thick
to afford attachment to the muscles which
are connected with and terminate in u.
The tendons after passing through the
arch, should run in straight line 10 the
back of the pasterns. The knee Of the
horse corresponds with the wrist Of man.
Tho rart ;oclufled between the knee and