THE POINTS OF THE HORSE 169 



the last rib. A short coupling indicates strength and endur- 

 ance, a condition much sought for by horsemen. 



The hip is seen as a point more or less prominent on 

 each side, just back of the coupling. The hips on mature 

 females are usually more prominent than on the males. 

 Symmetry of form calls for the hip to be nicely laid in, with 

 a smooth covering of flesh. There are other good reasons 

 for not having a wide placing of the points of the hips, which 

 need not be discussed here. 



The croup, or rump, is the long, muscular development 

 from the point of the hips to the setting on of the tail. 

 Great power and strength exist here, and so it is important 

 that this part be long, wide, and fairly level. A steep rump 

 is unsightly, though quite common on some draft horses, 

 and a narrow one has less muscle than a wide one that is 

 equally long. Length here is also desirable as affecting speed. 



The thigh extends from the rump down to the large 

 joint below, known as the hock. This part should be very 

 muscular, and wide from the lower side of the croup to a 

 joint below called the stifle. The upper part of the thigh 

 is wide, while the lower portion, often termed the gaskin, is 

 long, narrow, and very muscular. From the point of the 

 hip to the hock one should look for considerable length. 



The stifle joint is located in the front part of the thigh 

 close to the body. This is comparable to the knee in the 

 human skeleton. By means of tendons some of the strong- 

 est muscles of the upper thigh are connected with this joint. 



The flanks refer to the parts where the legs join with 

 the body. The front flank is just back of the arm, while 

 the hind flank is the high part of the side above and beyond 

 the stifle. A low, full flank goes with large body capacity 

 and constitutional vigor. Horses high in the flanks usually 

 appear long of leg and lacking in feeding capacity. 



The hock is the large joint about half way down the hind 

 leg. This is a very important part, and should be wide in 



