Centaurine innards

[desperance]

Okay, look. I'm quite happy with one digestive system that has two separate stomachs en route, there are instances of that and stranger things; but are we to suppose that a centaur has two sets of ribs, human and horse, and - therefore? - two sets of lungs within 'em? Skeletally, see, I think they must; and you'd need horsey lungs, I'd guess, to power a horsey body. Which would imply two hearts also, unless the human half just didn't bother with a heart, because the horsey one was good enough for all; I'm okay with that either way, I just have trouble with the lungs thing. Only one intake-pipe, after all: does the poor girl have to breathe for two, great vasty draughts of air...? Or if she just has one set of horsey lungs, what's in the human chest cavity...?

Comments

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

The swim bladder.

Horses can swim, and humans can swim, but it looks like it would be very difficult for a centaur to swim without some assistance, and can you imagine a centaur in water-wings? (Did you have water-wings where you were as a small child? Little inflatable whatsits for around small children's arms while they are learning to swim.)

[desperance.livejournal.com]

Yup, we had water-wings - I just never learned to water-fly. Or swim. I am innately sinky.

But thank you, it's a lovely thought.

[grndexter.livejournal.com]

Ummm... why would a centaur have trouble swimming? Horses do it with humans on their backs...