Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-04-06
Jhe farm aud fireside.
THE HORSES Week AND BEARING RE1Ns.

'sHast thou given the horse strength? Hast
thou clothed his neck with thunder ?" Who
can be inSenSibe to the magnificent utterances
which in a language incapable of rendering
the full beauty of the original tongue, throw
all our modern poetry into the shade. ct
man seems to think that the Creators idea OF
the horses neck was very imperfect one,
and just as he neutralizes by iron shoes the
natural elasticity of the hOof, he by means OF
various cOntrivanceS renders nugatOry the eX-
uuisite mechanism of the bones, muscles, and
ligaments from the neck to the shoulders. l
wonder whether any of our readers have
ever thought about the structures which en-
able the horse to hold it's head up without
fatigue. We could not do it, and if we were
placed ON all fours we should soon find our
heads dropping from sheer fatigue. In order
to see how this is accomplished, we must make
a dissection of the horses neck. IT we place
a hand on the back of our neck and bend the
head forward we shall feel a strong ligament.
If the skin be removed from the neck OF
human being, this ligament is seen to be
chord like, and not to present any very re-
markable peculiarly of structure. In the
horse however, it is developed into most
wonderful elastic mechanism. Lapping over
the back Of the neck, it throws out set OF
projections, each of which is fastened to one
that, while it gives support to that particular
vertebrp, it works simultaneously with the
others. Thus, the animal can toss or shake
it's head. turn it round to its fianks, or de-
press it to its knees, the powerful and highly
elastic ligaments permitting all these move
mentS, and by their own resistance restoring
the head and neck to their normal position
when the muscles are relaxed. The weight OF
the head and neck is very considerable, and
by their movements the balance of the body is
materially aided, e. g. in walking up very
steep hill, the horse when at liberty throws his
head and neck we'll forward, so as to keep the
weight as much as possible in front OF the
fore feet. In descending the same hill, the
horse holds his head and neck as far back as
he can, so as to throw the weight behind the
fore feet. Man, however, is pleased to fancy
that this freedom OF; action looks mean and
spiritless and tliat horse ought to hold up
his head, no matter whether he is ascending
or descending a hill, standing still, walking,
trotting, or galloping. His model seems to De
the wooden horse Of the toy shops, and the
nearer approach that he can make to the still
rgidity Of the toy horse the better is he pleased
AS if to increase the resemblance, he cuts the
name short, s'hogs'' it as the expression is, SO
as to make it look like the strip of fur glued
on the neck of the wooden horse. So, besides
the reins, he attaches to the bit leathern
strip called 'bearing rein"-1 suppose be-
cause it is hard for the horse to bear-and
fastens it to the saddle, SO as to render the
animal incapable Of lowering its head beyond a
certain point, according to the length of the
rein. Not content with this, still more Sc
we're instrument was invented and is known
by the name cf the gag" or BedOuin, bear
ing rein.-Rer. j. G. Wood, IN Good Words.