The horse / by William Youatt ; with a treatise on draught by I.K. Brunel ; and an appendix intended to advance the work to the present state of veterinary science by W.C. Spooner.

William Youatt

Date:: [1831]

Credit: The horse / by William Youatt ; with a treatise on draught by I.K. Brunel ; and an appendix intended to advance the work to the present state of veterinary science by W.C. Spooner. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

79/562 page 65

$fiXTKKNAL STHUCTUUE. 05 Uie form of muscles and tendons ; and tliese levers »ire differeMllv rnn nected, and act m different directions; and he will be the best \ Juq Lf horses who, wlale he has loved, and lived among them, is somevvhat ac quainted with the circumstances in which mechanical power is cained or lost. ° In speaking then of the structure of this animal, and the points which guide the opinion of real judges of him, we shall, as briefly and as simplv as we are able, explain those fundamental principles on which his usefulness and beauty must depend. We require one kind of horse for slow and heavy draught, and another for lighter and quicker work:—one as a plea- sant and safe roadster; another with more speed and equal continuance as a hunter ; and another still is wanted for the race-course. What is the peculiarity of structure—what are the particular points that will fit each for his proper business, and, to a certaii degree, unfit him for everythino- else ? The farmer will require a horse of all work, that can carry him to market and take him round his farn, on which he can occasionally ride for pleasure, and which he must som* times degrade to the dung-cart or the harrow. What combination of powers will enable the animal to dis- charge most of these duties well, and all of them to a certain extent profi- tably? ' Much time spent among horses, an acquired love of them, and a little, sometimes possibly, too dearly-bought experience, may give the agriculturist some insight into these matters. We will try whether we cannot assist him in this affair; whether we cannot explain to hiin the reason why certain points must be good, and why a horse without them must, of necessity, be good for nothing. Perhaps some useful rules may thus be more deeply impressed upon his memory, or some common, but dangerous prejudices may be discarded, and a considerable degree of error, disappointment, and expense avoided. It is first of all necessary to give a sketch of the Anatomy of the Horse, in which we shall endeavour to elucidate those numerous and beautiful instances of wise and benevolent design, exhibited in the structure of this valuable animal, and which will render our study of him more interesting; while many a hint of practical utility will be gained. If we treat of this at considerable length, let it be remembered, that the horse is our noblest servant, and that, in describing the structure and eco- nomy of his frame, we are, in a great measure, describing that of other domestic quadrupeds, and shall hereafter have to speak only of points of difference required by the different services and uses for which they were destined. And further, let it be remembered that it is only by being well acquainted with the structure and anatomy of the horse that we can appre ciate his shape and uses, or understand the different diseases to which he is liable. We trust the reader who may fancy us rather prolix on this head m\], before the work is finished, feel the full value of what we purpose to explain, ft is from want of knowledge of the anatomy of Ihe horse, that much of the mass of ignorance and prejudice which exists, ns to the diseases, &c. to which the horse is subject, is to be relened; and we deem it one of the most imi)ortant objects of this treatise to reform this Ignorance, and remove these prejudices. It will be proper here, once for all, to caution the reader, who has hitherto been unaccustomed to reading books of science, against being deterred by the sight of a few of what are termed hard names. The fact is, that science must have, to a certain extent, a new language to express minutely and ac- curately the particular parts or things to be described ; and this is the case F$