The Selected Example—Ventral Surface of Horse’s Neck.
If I set out to convince a doubting opponent that these things are as I assert, three conditions may at once be laid down. First, it must be shown that the patterns found here are not part of a normal arrangement. Second, that they are produced by pressure of the harness. Third, that examples of them be forthcoming in young horses never exposed to the action of harness.
Fig. 50.—Side view of domestic horse, showing eight areas of reversed hair, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, all of which were situated under portions of the harness.
B. Pattern on hamstring region, under the breeching.
Examined 24th December, 1907. Roan hackney, recently clipped, showed on the offside on the hamstring region, a reversed area of hair proceeding vertically upwards and ending in a crest, in the position where the breeching rubs during locomotion. Thirteen cases examined, other twelve similar.
C. Pattern on lower axillary region, under belly-band.
Examined 4th March, 1907. Small grey hackney with reversed area of hair in lower axillary region, with also a crest nearly horizontal lying along upper part of this area under the belly-band. Eight cases examined, the other seven similar.
D. Pattern on tail region.
Examined 29th November, 1907. Bay hackney, on each side of base of tail where the crupper rubs during locomotion, is a wide reversed area of hair five to six inches long, in which the hairs were arranged at a right angle with the axis of the spine on the upper border and feathering out on the lower border into the general stream of hair. Three cases examined, two others similar.
E. Pattern on side of neck under the position of the reins.
Examined 21st December, 1907. Small mouse-coloured hackney recently clipped. On the offside of the neck where the reins rubbed against the neck there was a wide reversed area of hair with a well-marked crest in front. Five cases in all examined, the four others similar.
F. Pattern on shoulder.
Examined 15th September, 1905. Bay cart-horse, reversed area lying nearly horizontal under the shaft of the cart; hairs formed into a whorl, feathering and crest lying posteriorly—pattern four inches in length, on near side only. One case only examined.
G. Pattern on side of face.
Examined 25th May, 1905. Grey hackney with wide reversed area of hair along side of face ending above in oblique crest, under a strap of the headstall, on the offside only. Two cases examined, the other similar.
H. Pattern on border of the neck under the collar.
Examined 28th September, 1906. Bay cart-horse. On near side under the collar which was lifted up while the horse was resting, the hairs at the border of the neck were formed into a large whorl. One case only examined.
Fig. 50.—Side view of domestic horse, showing eight areas of reversed hair, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, all of which were situated under portions of the harness.
B. Pattern on hamstring region, under the breeching.
Examined 24th December, 1907. Roan hackney, recently clipped, showed on the offside on the hamstring region, a reversed area of hair proceeding vertically upwards and ending in a crest, in the position where the breeching rubs during locomotion. Thirteen cases examined, other twelve similar.
C. Pattern on lower axillary region, under belly-band.
Examined 4th March, 1907. Small grey hackney with reversed area of hair in lower axillary region, with also a crest nearly horizontal lying along upper part of this area under the belly-band. Eight cases examined, the other seven similar.
D. Pattern on tail region.
Examined 29th November, 1907. Bay hackney, on each side of base of tail where the crupper rubs during locomotion, is a wide reversed area of hair five to six inches long, in which the hairs were arranged at a right angle with the axis of the spine on the upper border and feathering out on the lower border into the general stream of hair. Three cases examined, two others similar.
E. Pattern on side of neck under the position of the reins.
Examined 21st December, 1907. Small mouse-coloured hackney recently clipped. On the offside of the neck where the reins rubbed against the neck there was a wide reversed area of hair with a well-marked crest in front. Five cases in all examined, the four others similar.
F. Pattern on shoulder.
Examined 15th September, 1905. Bay cart-horse, reversed area lying nearly horizontal under the shaft of the cart; hairs formed into a whorl, feathering and crest lying posteriorly—pattern four inches in length, on near side only. One case only examined.
G. Pattern on side of face.
Examined 25th May, 1905. Grey hackney with wide reversed area of hair along side of face ending above in oblique crest, under a strap of the headstall, on the offside only. Two cases examined, the other similar.
H. Pattern on border of the neck under the collar.
Examined 28th September, 1906. Bay cart-horse. On near side under the collar which was lifted up while the horse was resting, the hairs at the border of the neck were formed into a large whorl. One case only examined.
First. The normal arrangement of hair on the under surface of the horse’s neck shows an even stream passing from the head to the chest, where it is interrupted by the pectoral patterns, and during that course resembles precisely the other normal streams in this and other mammals.
The opponent asks, “How do you know this is the normal slope, and that the patterns you describe are not normal, and what you describe as normal is not a variation?” This is a perfectly proper and timely question and can only be answered fully by examination of and noting a large number of draught horses.