THE HORSE. Ill 



animal, and witli a view to his adaptability to his work, 

 his hind-legs are bent, and therefore full of springs, 

 which render the hind-feet much less liable to the many 

 diseases to which the fore ones are prone ; indeed, so 

 rarely are the hind-feet affected by navicular disease, 

 pumice sole, or the various evils resulting from con- 

 cussion, that, when such maladies do appear, they may 

 be considered as extraordinary exceptions to the rule. 



We may then be justified in saying that horses 

 do not have these diseases in their hind-feet, and that, 

 consequently, there is less use made of the pastern 

 joint here, than in the fore-feet. 



If the knuckling does not interfere with the action 

 of the horse (however unsightly the defect may be), 

 he is SOUND. 



But such unsightliness is considered to be a 



BLEMISH. 



When the uprightness impedes the action of the 

 horse, or renders him incapable of performing the work 

 due from one of his class, he is UNSOUND. 



Knuckling. 



Though uprightness and knuckling are frequently 

 used indiscriminately for the same fault, some persons 

 make the distinction, that the former consists in per- 

 pendicularity, while the latter implies " bending over " 



