36 HOW TO JUDGE A HOESE. 



penclicular over the toe of the hoof. This position 

 of the hind leg is called the normal. 



From this normal position, there are deviations in 

 two directions. In many cases the hock joint falls 

 forward of this perpendicular, but, more frequently, 

 it falls behind the same. The first irregularity we 

 mny call the under-standing, the second, the hack- 

 sta7iding position. 



It is apparent, that, with this change of basis, 

 there must be connected a variation in the 

 weighting of the joints, and that the column is not 

 supported in itself. The perpendicular weighting 

 creates, under these circumstances, a pressure on the 

 whole column in a direction, causing the same to 

 fall over — in the under-standing position to back- 

 ward, and in the hack-standing position to forward. 

 The balance can only be preserved, if the leg, through 

 its muscles, employs such forces of traction and 

 pressure as to counteract the intention of gravity to 

 overturn the column. 



In the under-standing position of the hind leg, the 

 uppermost point of the column, viz.: the femural 

 head of the thigh bone, has a tendency of fallinc^ 

 backward (Fig. 3) ; therefore, an opposing power 

 must be employed to enable the leg in this position 

 to fulfil its task as a supporter. For this task, the 

 whole group of muscles of the hose is qualified as 



