36 



HINTS ON HORSES 



In a sound horse the rear outline of the 

 hind leg, exactly in profile, from point of hock 

 to fetlock should be a straight line (Fig. 20). 



A lump on the point of the hock indicates 

 a habit of kicking in the stable. A joint with 

 such a lump is called a "capped hock" (a). 



A similar lump on the elbow is termed 

 "capped elbow" (e). A lump lower down, 

 where the back tendon commences, indicates 

 curb (b), a source of weakness in jumping 

 horses. It is a result sometimes of too much 

 jumping on the part of the horse before he is 

 strong enough. 



Many Irish horses are just touched with 

 the firing-iron on the seat of curb. 



A bulge in the outline of the back tendon 

 denotes a broken-down leg, known as the 

 " bowed tendon " (c). 



The hind fetlocks are slightly higher off the 

 ground than the fore fetlocks. 



Around the fetlock, lumps are often only 

 signs of work, and not unsoundness. These 

 are called "wind galls" (d). 



If the fetlock itself is swollen, it is often 

 described as "puffy," and this may indicate 

 unsoundness. 



