168 



A STUDY OF FARM ANIMALS 





from 45 to 50 degrees. The hoof should be free of cracks 

 and not brittle, defects that are all too common. The pop- 

 ular sentiment is in favor 

 of a dark colored hoof, 

 most persons thinking it 

 tougher than a white one 

 and less liable to break. 

 The heart girth, or 

 chest, is contained within 

 the circumference of the 

 body just back of the 

 shoulders. A deep, full 

 chest indicates vigor and 

 strong constitution. A 

 marked depression back 

 of the shoulders is asso- 

 ciated with narrow chest 

 and cramped space for 

 the heart and lungs. 



The back should be 

 straight and short with 

 the ribs comparatively 

 well sprung. A consid- 

 erable depression, or sag, 

 of the back is a sign of 

 weakness. The back 

 extends from the lower 

 end of the withers to a 

 wide, somewhat level and muscular part called the loin. 



The loin is the broadest and flattest part of the back, 

 and lies between the last rib and the point of the hips. The 

 strength of back lies in the loin, which should be short, wide, 

 and heavily muscled. A long, narrow loin is a sign of weak- 

 ness and inability to stand up under severe work. 



The coupling is the space between the point of hip and 



Figure 46. The foot of the horse. 1. (a) 

 nail properly driven- (b) improperly driven. 

 2, A sound foot. 3, A section across 2 at X. 

 4, A contracted hoof. 4a, a section across 

 at X. 5, A section across 7 at X. 0, A 

 sound but flat hoof. 7, A badly contracted 

 foot. Reproduced from "Diseases of the 

 Horse," U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. 



