264 THE FORE LIMB. 



pulsion, the muscles which bend the fetlock joint will act 

 best, when the pastern is upright (p. 73). Nothing need 

 be said here about backward propulsion, as it has but 

 Httle bearing on conformation. Some remarks on reining- 

 back have been made on page 129 et seq. 



To raise the fore-hand effectively, we require, as I have 

 just said, obhquity of shoulder-blade and pastern, so as 

 to favour the straightening of the limb (p. 66). 



From the foregoing observations we may see that the 

 conformation most suitable to one function of the fore 

 limb, may differ essentially from that best adapted to other 

 offices performed by it. Consequently, the conformation 

 to be sought for in the fore limb of a horse will be the 

 best possible combination of somewhat conflicting 

 elements. 



Fore Legs in Saddle and Draught. — In draught, 

 whether light or heavy, the pace is practically con- 

 fined - to the walk, trot, and, in rare cases, to the 

 amble, in none of which is the function of raising the 

 fore-hand tested to anything like the same extent as 

 in the canter, gallop, and, particularly, in jumping. 

 Hence the saddle-horse, especially the hunter, requires a 

 lighter fore-hand and greater power of flexing and ex- 

 tending the joints of the fore limb, than the harness 

 animal. Setting aside for the moment the question of 

 the heavy cart-horse, which under all circumstances 

 requires a maximum amount of development of bone 

 and muscle in his ' limbs, we must also remember that 

 the legs of the saddle-horse (particularly the fore ones, 

 in proportion to the speed required) have to bear the 

 burden of a rider, from which the limbs of the trapper 

 are free. Consequently, the saddle-horse should have 

 stronger legs in comparison to the weight of his body, 

 than an animal that works between the shafts, the 

 correctness of which remark will be confirmed by an 

 inspection of Figs. 322, 343, 406, 427, and 487, for instance. 



