St. Landry democrat., 1881-08-20
2, Over-Reaching, Stun.
bling, Etc.
Interfering,

These unaccountable and objectiona-
BILE imperfections seem not well under
stood bv authors or horsemen. Great
efforts have been made to remedy these
evils bv shoeing. etc Much difference
Of opinion still exists as to the proper
method of shoeing, in consequence OF
none being etfectual. If these urnat-
ural movements are a serious damage
70 the horse, we should, By this time.
he able to know to what extent they
are or can be remedied. We should in
ouire for the cause, whetherit be hab-
if. careiessness or deformity. Through
a long series of observations and uni
form conclusions, | would submit the
following: The cause Of most OF these
unnatural movements may be account
ed for in the anatomical structure Or
proportions of the horse affected. The
horse that is the most perfect, natural
and easv mover, has the most perfect
anatomical structure. When extraor-
dinary, sudden, fast or slow movements
are manifest, it depends partly on ana
tomical proportions Where the spinal
column is too short for the length of his
lees, the horse over-reaches in proper
ton. If too long, the hind feet fall
proportionally short Of the others. Ii
the metatarsaI bone be too short for
the tibia, he is a high stopper; If the
reverse, he drags, the toe trips the
ground, or stumbles behind. If the
femur be too concave on the inside, he
carries his legs close, or interEeres; If
straight he straddles, or travels wide;
if too long, he stands with his hind feet
too much under the body; if too short,
the reverse. If all the bones Of the
hind legs are proper, some of those
proportions may be lost or wanting for
ward. 1.-THE humerus be short, he cannot
reach forward; if long, he throws too
much forward. If the radius be too
short for the metacarpal, he trips and
stumbles; if too long, he steps high and
throws. If the pastern be too short, the
foot has but little play; is too long, his
foot is said to flop. If the radius con-
cave, he interferes; if convex, he throws
the foot outward. If the pubs and fe-
mur are short, and the humerus is
long, it makes the horse look gaunt.
long on the belly, and looks taller and
lighter than he is. When the reverse
is apparent, you see q long back, with
the low and heavy appearance. Where
the shafts of the dorsal vertebre pro-
iect long or high, he shows short back
and sunken cervical vertebre, conse-
quently low neck and head. Where
the launches hang straight, it raises
the candril vertebra, and he is, said te
carry high tail, but if too slanting, 9
low tail is the result. If the scapuIa is
too long, the sternum looks sunken; i
too short. he looks full breasted. L
the nasal bones be long. the nostrlls are
small; if snort, large. If the fronta
bone is coneave, he appears narrow be
tween the eyes; if convex, wide. Nc
machinery works well, unless attach
ments are perfect if too loose, it jars
back-lash causes friction. and conflicts
with steady and easy motion; if too
taut, it runs hard and strains on al
parts. This is equally true Of the horse
If his anatomical attachments are tos
taut, he labors hard in travelling. drags
trips, steps short, stnmbles, and may in
terfere; if too loose, he jars, trots higi
and hard, drags the foot, throws out
ward, reaches long, the foot falls loos'
and heavy; it is raised with drag, ant
tremulous while suspended, and Otter
over-reaches and interferes.- W. Pierce
Y S., in Mjchiga,s Farmer.