278 THE FORE LEGS 



naviculai bones. The motion of these parts likewise is impeded or lost, and tho 

 whole of the foot becomes one mass of spongy bone. From a disposition to spread, 

 and at first around the pastern-joint, which is situated just above the coronet, the 

 disease has acquired the name of ringbone. 



On the preceding page we have introduced a bird's-eye view of some of the principal 

 lamenesses to which the fore extremities of the horse are subject. 



At a is a representation of the capped hock, or enlargement of the joint of the elbow. 



b is the tying-in of the leg below the knee. 



c is the most frequent situation of splint on the side of the shank-bone, and not pro- 

 ducing lameness after its first formation, because it does not interfere with the motion 

 of the knee, nor injure the suspensory ligament. 



d is the situation and appearance of the enlargement accompanying sprain of the 

 back sinews. This, however, is an aggravated case ; and the sprain may be great, 

 and the lameness distressing, without all this swelling. 



e is the place of wind-gall. 



/ gives the appearance of ringbone when it first appears on the side of the pastern, 

 about the joint, and where there is naturally some prominence of bone. 



fis the situation of sand-crack in the fore-leg, 

 the situation of mallenders. 



The fore-legs, when viewed in front, should be widest at the chest, and should 

 gradually approach to each other as we descend towards the fetlock. The degree of 

 width must depend on the purpose for which the horse is wanted. The legs of a 

 heavy draught-horse can scarcely be too far apart. His rounded chest enables him to 

 throw more weight into the collar; and not being required for speed, he wants not 

 that occasionally increased expansion of chest which the circular form is not calculated 

 to give. A hunter, a hackney, and a coach-horse should have sufficient expansion of 

 the chest, or the legs sufficiently wide apart, to leave room for the play of the lungs ; 

 but depth more than roundness of chest is here required, because the deep chest admita 

 of most expansion when the horse, in rapid action, and the circulation proportionally 

 quickened, needs most room to breathe : yet if the breast is too wide, there will be 

 considerable weight thrown before, and the horse will be heavy in hand and unsafe. 



Whether the legs are near to each other or wide apart, they should be straight. 

 The elbow should not have the slightest inclination inward or outward. If it inclines 

 towards the ribs, its action will be confined, and the leg will be thrown outward when 

 in motion, and describe a curious and awkward curve. This will give a peculiar 

 rolling motion, unpleasant to the rider and unsafe to the animal. The toe will like- 

 wise be turned outward, which will not only prevent the foot from coming flat on the 

 ground in its descent, but be usually accompanied by cutting, even more certainly 

 than when the toe turns inward. If the elbow is turned outward, the toes will 

 necessarily be turned inward, which is a great unsightliness, and to a considerable 

 degree injurious, for the weight cannot be perfectly distributed over the foot the 

 bearing cannot be true. There will also be undue pressure on the inner quarter, a 

 tendency to unsafeness, and a disposition to splint and corn. The legs should come 

 down perpendicularly from the elbow. If they incline backward and under the horse, 

 there is undue stress on the extensor muscles ; and, the legs being brought nearer the 

 centre of gravity, too great weight is thrown forward, and the horse is liable to 

 knuckle over and become unsafe. If the legs have a direction forward, the flexor 

 muscles are strained, and the action of the horse is awkward a id confined The to 

 should be found precisely under the point of the shoulder. If it is a littlp roore ior- 

 ward, the horse will probably be deficient in action ; if it is more ander *> 

 onsafenetB will be added to still greater defect in going. 



