THE HOCK. 113 



places ; and the greater will be the space over which 

 the concussion caused bv powerful action will be dis- 

 tributed. 



The heel-bone, or the bone which forms the point of 

 the hock behind, can hardly be too long. Every inch 

 added to its projection upwards, adds greatly to the 

 leverage power of those immense sinews which are in- 

 serted into it. This is a positive advantage gained, 

 and it is a point well worthy of attention. It is also 

 highly desu-able to have this bone strong and large. 

 The sinew which runs from its point up towards the 

 thigh requires to be very thick, and it should stand 

 well out from the thigh-bone. 



The end of the lower thigh-bone should run into the 

 hock-joint at an angle, and not in a perpendicular 

 manner ; but with this the angular form must cease. 

 The leg, from the point of the hock behind to the 

 upper end of the pastern, should be as straight as a 

 plumb-line. If it is rounded in the slightest degree, 

 the back sinews will work at a disadvantage. It is 

 extremely probable the horse will get curbed. 



As the back-sinew runs down along the edge of the 

 hock-joint, it is kept fii-mly in its place by a special 

 ligament, called the annular ligament, which is thrown 

 directly across, at the lower end of the joint, from the one 

 side to the other, for this very purpose. If the position 

 of the bones allows this sinew to run in a perpendicular 

 line, the transverse, or annular ligament, will be quite 



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