THE TIBIA. 109 



to be both strong and sound. Injuries of it are very- 

 serious in their consequences. 



Besides being long, and directed backwards, the 

 tibia must be fui-nished with plenty of muscle. All 

 the muscles which move the parts beneath the hock are 

 located on it. Hence it is evident, if it is defective in 

 muscle, the want cannot be supplied from any other 

 som'ce. There is no scarcity of sinews farther down, 

 but muscles there are none. Every horse should be 

 furnished with a sufficient mass of muscle on the tibia, 

 to give the appearance of great breadth and strength. 

 The one which is narrow and weak here is radically de- 

 fective. It is in vain to think that poverty in this lo- 

 cality can be compensated for by perfection elsewhere, 

 because no other part performs the same functions. 

 There is no such superfluity in nature, as that a good 

 part can compensate for a bad one in this sort of way. 

 Every part has its own peculiar office to fulfil, wliich is 

 quite sufficient for it without attempting to do the duty 

 of its neighbour. The muscles should be well deve- 

 loped mside^ as weU as outside, the tibia. The most 

 powerful formation of this description I have ever seen 

 was in Touchstone. His strength at this part was re- 

 markable — particularly as regards the muscles on the 

 inside. The muscles of the tibia teniiinate in sinews, 

 some of which are inserted into the point of the hock, 

 but the gi-eater part of them passes on towards the foot. 



I have ah-eady said the extent of the stride depends on 



