Fig. 32A shows the muscles of the fronto-nasal region of the horse
and the manner in which the skin of this central region is pulled
upon in divergent and opposing directions, by a long muscle, called
the _Maxillaris_, downwards and outwards, by a small thick muscle,
the _Corrugator_, inwards, by a deeper and more oblique muscle, the
_Nasalis_, downwards and inwards, and a little more remotely by the
_Temporal_ muscle, and the _intrinsic muscles of the mobile ears_.
There are thus at least five muscles on each side, all pulling more
or less against one another on this much-disturbed area of skin. The
struggle has been long ago given up and a compromise arrived at which
is registered in the frontal pattern.
[Illustration: Fig. 32.--Frontal region of horse with frontal whorl
(_a_); feathering (_b_); crest (_c_).]
[Illustration: Fig. 32A.--Muscles of the fronto-nasal region of the
horse.]
Now if anyone doubts whether these comparatively small muscles act
often or strongly enough to produce effects on the hair over them he
need only consult Mr. Roger Pocock’s book to understand the story of
this battle of small forces and its result on the hair.
[Illustration: Fig. 33.--Side view of horse, showing chief superficial
muscles.]
In his wild state the horse is dependent to a remarkable degree
to his sense of smell for his safety from foes (Pocock), and very
much less so on his sight. Indeed that writer says his range of good
vision is about six yards. At that range his sight is of great value
to him for protection from certain of the dangers of his life, and we
see in a domestic horse to-day the evidence of his past wild life by
his rapid and keen glances at objects at the sides of the road, both
when we ride and drive him. His _corrugator_ muscle must be almost
constantly in action. But his sense of smell is the sling and stone
with which he encounters his Goliaths before they can get near him, and
he ceaselessly expands and draws up his flexible nostrils employing
his _nasalis_ and his _maxillaris_ for snuffing the air. He has also
much useful protection from his sense of hearing and we all know
how those mobile ears of his are hardly ever at rest, pointing now
forwards, now backwards, and again outwards, as he goes on his way. The
degree of these movements is largely a matter of individual character
and breeding. The case for a conflict of forces in this region is, I
submit, fully made out, and it is easy to see that a radiating pattern
of hair, such as there is in the simple whorl, is only the natural
outcome of all this complex muscular action. The extension of the whorl
upwards in the shape of a feathering which is sufficiently common,
indicates that the struggle has been carried beyond the original
battle-field by the muscles of the ears.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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