Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-04-18

IN gong last, at the same time that the
appearance of lightness Is preserved.
When the windpipe keeps free and distinct,
all the way from the head to the chest,
the neck win look thin and graceful. The
length and thickness of the neck may
vary little, according to the work for
whcih the horse is designed. Fast going
horses, and horses intended for the. saddle
should have the neck little longer and
somewhat lighter than those intended for
carriage purposes. In all cases the upper
edge of the neck must be thin, and it
ought to be arched from the seat of the
collar forwards; the center should be
much thicker than either the upper or un-
der edge, and it must increase in thick
ness as it approaches the shoulder; the
curve of the under edge must bear pro-
portion to the curve of the upper, more
especially as it approaches towards the
head. Ewe-necked horses are not pleas
ant to look at, although sometimes they
prove very excellent roadsters. The man
ner in which the neck is attached to the
shoulder is deserving of attention. In
every case it should be set we'll up on the
shoulders, SO as to allow a convenient
seat for the collar below, and thus avoid
pressure on the windpipe or abrasion OF
the skin. This arrangement will also as
sist in making the horse light in hand. In
the heavy draught horse the junction of the
neck and shoulder may be strong and
thick throughout, but on all others the
spot on which the collar rests above, in
front of the shoulder top, must be hollow
ed out. This is all indispensable requisite
in the horse for the saddle or light har-
ness.
THE CHEST
is bounded in front by the neck, on each
side by the ribs and shoulder blade, be-
low by the breast bone, above by the
spine. and behind by the diaphragm,
which separates it from the bowels. A
line drawn from the region of the kidneys
Immediately behind the saddle seat, and
terminating at q short distance behind the
girts at the breast bone, will point out.
with tolerable accuracy, the position of
the diaphragm. 1t is large expansion Of
muscular tissue, and stretches across from
side to side in such a way as completely to
separate the body into two great 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
intervenes between the boundaries speci-
fed, 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 respiration. The
shape and size of the chest are matters of
no trifling importance, as they in a
great measure govern the condition of the
lungs. In every instance the chest should
be large and capacious, but its exact
shape may vary little, according to the
purpose for which the horse is required.
In the animal for slow work and heavy
draught it may approach towards the cir
cular form. In proportion as we pass
from the draught horses, through the diff
ferent degrees of speed up to the racer.
in the same proportion must the depth of
the chest, when compared with its round
ness, increase. The carriage horse
should have round and deep chest, the
roadster, trotting horse and saddle horse
still deeper, and the racer should be
shoped like greyhound at the same time
preserving a tair proportion Of breadth.
Depth of chest is indispensable for speed
combined with distance. As the lungs of
the horse occupy much larger space
when he is in active exercise than when
he is at rest. we are justified in conclud-
ing that he requires to have the power Of
increasing the size of his chest in proper
ton as he is called upon to increase his
speed. The chest must, to certain ex-
tent. be fattened on the sides in order that
it may be capable of being
CHANGED FROM THE ELLIPTICAL.
into the circular form. The direction of
the ribs, as they spring from the back
bone, must be particularly attended to.
If, in place of being arched above, they
come sloping down like the root OF
house, the upper part of the cavity must
necessarily be narrowed. This is 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 to the circular shape.
In every horse they should come out for
q considerable distance from the back
bone, SO as to present broad and some
what fiat surface above. The condition of
the parts will be best observed by looking
over the back from behind. The part up
on which the saddle rests ought to be well
filled up, so at to place the saddle in
comfortable position. Where the ribs
commence their descent on the side they
should either preserve atolerably rounded
shape or become moderately tlattened, ac-
cording to the use for which the horse is
intended. The circle, however, must be
resumed as they approach the breast
bone below, for the purpose OF giving
breadth 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 breastbone and very limited at the
region of the spine. The breadth of the
chest may be estimated by the width of
the breast or counter, and by the fullness
of the ribs behind the foreleg and shoul-
der. 1t ought to be broad enough to give
substance to the shoulders and capacity to
the chest without adding too much weight
to the forequarter, or separating the legs
too far from each other. In all cases the
counter must be supplied with strong and
prominent muscles.
TIE sTERNUM OR BREAST BONE,
which forms the floor of the chest, re.
quires to be long. 1t ought to drop both
between and behind the legs. There Is
nothing more to be desired in horse than
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