Book VII. ORGANOLOGY OF THE HORSE. 891 



by a judicious or clover smith. Merely picking out the foot will often, also, detect the remains of 

 former cuttings or parings out of the corns. Some hoofs are very brittle, and a horse with this defect 

 should, in every instance, be rejected. The evil may in general be easily detected by the marks of the 

 fragile parts detaching themselves from every old nail hole. This kind of foot, particularly in hot wea- 

 ther, breaks away till there is no room for the nails to hold ; when the horse of course becomes useless. 

 Sandcracks are also another evil to which the feet are liable ; and which should engage the attention 

 in the examination of a horse : they consist of longitudinal fissures ; one only is usually present at once ; 

 but that one if deep is fully equal to produce lameness. The subject of the feet will be concluded by an 

 observation on their general appearance, well worthy of attention. The eye should be directed to the 

 degree and to the maimer in which the shoes are worn; which will often save much useless trouble 

 intrying a horse. A stumbling horse may be frequently, nay, commonly detected by simply lifting up 

 one fore foot : for the unequal wearing away of the shoe at the toe, while the other parts remain good, 

 is a full proof of his going unsafely and digf^inghis toes. 



5621, On a review of the coxforniation of the fore extremities, it may be remarked, that whereas the 

 hinder may be considered as more particularly concerned in impelling the machine forwards with its re- 

 quisite velocity ; yet, that upon a proper form and a true direction of the various component parts of the 

 fore limbs must depend the stability, the truth, and the safety of the movements. Viewed anteriorly, the 

 fore legs should stand rather widest at the upper part, inclining a little inwards below ; but when we 

 view them latterly, they should present a perpendicular from the arm downwards; and the toe should 

 place itself directly under the point of the shoulder, as it is called. If the foot should stand beyond this, 

 which is seldom tlie case, the action will be confined, for the limb will have already passed over a point of 

 its ground ; such a horse, however, generally treads even, flat, and safe ; and, in proportion as it stands in 

 the direct line downwards, he generally inherits these desirable properties. When the foot stands behind 

 the perpendicular line, the defect is considerable, by the removal of the centre of gravity too much for^ 

 ward, by which an increased tendency to stumble and fall is entailed ; and as the fact in general accom. 

 panies a want of extent and obliquity in the shoulder, so it likewise lessens the speed. 



5622. The hinder extremities. We have already described the thigh, correctly so 

 called, which is so concealed by muscles as frequently to escape this consideration of it, 

 by which the part immediately below it popularly receives the name of thigh, but is, in 

 fact, the leg. 



5623. The leg (1, 2), commonly called the thigh, in well formed horses is powerfully furnished with 

 muscles, and very extended in its figure ; it should also make a considerable angle with the femur or 

 real thigh, and form a direct line under the hip or haunch ; for the same reasons that make it desirable 

 to have a long arm in the fore extremities, it is also advantageous that the leg should be so likewise, and 

 which is the form usual among all quadrupeds of speed. 



5624. The hock (2) is the important joint immediatelv below the leg, or thigh commonly called, and is in^ 

 terposed between the tibia and tarsal bones {fig. 615), purposely to increase the extent of attachment, 

 and to break the shock of great exertion ; it may be considered as the most complex and important joint 

 of the body : like the knee, it should be extended and broad ; for, in proportion as the calcaneum or point 

 of the hock (5), and which is the real heel, extends itself beyond the other bones ; so the powerful tendo 

 achilles inserted into it, acts with a longer lever, and with a greater increase of power. This joint is sub- 

 ject to several important diseases, which in the examination of a horse, require particular attention ; when 

 a sofl puffy swelling is discovered in the ply or bend of the hock (3), it is termed a blood spavin, which will be 

 noticed among the diseases ; it is, in fact, a similar enlargement with the windgalls before mentioned, and 

 what has been said on them equally applies to these. When similar mucous capsules become enlarged on each 

 side of the hock, the enlargement receives the name of thorovgh-pin. A small bursal enlargement is some- 

 times found at the very point of the hock (5), and is then called a capulct; to all which, what has been 

 said on wind galls, applies, that they are only to be deemed of consequence when so large as to inter- 

 fere with the motion of the parts they are situated with, or near , or, as indicative of an undue portion 

 of work. The ligaments at the back of the hock sometimes become strained or extended, and heat, in- 

 flammation, and swelling follow, which is then called a curb. As rest or very mild treatment soon re- 

 duces it, it is not to be considered as of great consequence. The inner part of the joint at the ply or bend, 

 issometiines attended with a skin aflection similar to the mallenders before alluded to, and is called *t7- 

 lenders (4) ; but the most serious disease to which the hock is liable, is a disease of the ligaments of some, 

 of the dorsal bones. Sometimes one or more of these bones take on spavin : to detect the existence of 

 this affection, the hocks should be attentively viewed from behind, When any enlargement in the spavin 

 place (3, 4) may be easily detected. The mechanism of this joint will be' further considered when we' 

 treat of the skeleton generally. 



5625. The color of horses does not depend on their real skin as with man, but upon an 

 exterior beautiful covering which nature has given them, called hair; nevertheless, the 

 hair is, in some measure, influenced by the skin, as light skinned horses have light hair,' 

 and when the hair is light, the eyes are usually so likewise : hair presents many varieties 

 of tint, so hor-es are said to be of various colors. Buffon has conjectured that horses 

 were originally of one color, which he presumes to be bay ; but such wild horses as have 

 been seen, and which have been supposed to be pure originals, have not justified this 

 opinion. This same author has divided the colors of the horse into simple, compound, 

 and strange or extraordinary. 



5626. The simple colors are bay, chestnut, dun, sorrel, white, and black; ba?/ is a. very prevailing tint 

 among European horses, and admits of many shades, but is admired in all : there are bripht bays, blood 

 bays, dark and dappled bays ; brown bay is a very esteemed color, and consists of bay and black in unequal 

 proportions in different horses : brown horses are highly i)rized ; the darker varieties have usually 

 beautiful tan markings, as about the muzzle, &c : they have commonly also black manes and tails, with, 

 legs and feet of the same hue ; and it may be here remarked, that horses of comjwunded colors, of 

 whatsoever tint the mane and tail may be, will be found invariably formed of one of the compounding" 

 colors; thus light greys, which area compound of black and white, have often white manes and tails : 

 sorrels, again, whicji are formed of white, with a sm.iU proportion of red, have also frequently white 

 manes and tails : chestnut, which is also a very common color, admits of almost as many sliades as the 

 bay, from the lightest tint to the deepest tone. Very light clustnuts have frequently still lighter manes' 

 and tails, with mealy legs and light feet; s<5 marked, they are certainly not to be chosen for strength^ 

 durability, or pliancy of temper : the suftblk punch, however, may be considered in some degree an ex- 

 ception, although, the true breed are hardly so light as those hinted at here. Dark chestnuts are con-' 

 sidered, and with justice, as fiery in their dispositions; they are also more subject to contracted feet thanr 

 horses of any other hue. Dvn'\% a color that has several varieties; it is sometimes accompanied with a 

 white mane and tail, at others they are seen even darker than the rest of the hair. In some, a list or line 

 of deeper tint extends along the back, which is regarded by some as an indication of hardihood : p? 



