334 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



No mention has so far been made of splint in this 

 letter, which, if present, is situated between the knee 

 and the fetfock — usually at the back of the cannon. 

 Although this constitutes unsoundness, the age of the 

 animal, and the position of the splint, must be taken 

 into consideration. 



Particular attention must be paid to the hocks and 

 to hock-action ; in fact, the hocks represent, not only 

 the horse's safety, but that of the rider as well. 



A good hunter should be able to flex and tuck its 

 haunches under it almost as freely as a man can bend 

 his arm, and this it cannot do if one or both hocks 

 happen to be spavined, swollen, or their free play 

 interfered with from any other causes. The hock- 

 joints must be broad and deep from front to back, 

 clean in outline and covered with thin skin, neither 

 too upright nor yet overbent, forming an obtuse 

 angle with the gaskin above and the cannon below ; 

 if the angle is too acute, the hock becomes overbent — 

 the so-called sickle-shaped hock ; whilst, on the other 

 hand, if the angle be too obtuse, it tends to straighten 

 it — " upright hock," which is often thick, and want- 

 ing in that cleanness so essential in typically-formed 

 hocks. 



The first and second thighs must be neatly turned, 

 and clothed with powerful muscles. 



In addition to critical inspection the ensemble of 

 the hunter should be that of a thin-skinned, big-boned, 

 small-headed, fine-shouldered, deep-chested, clean- 

 limbed animal, with a neatly-turned, compact body, 

 and having a facial expression of great keenness. 



