HINTS ON SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF HORSES. 



103 



the knee being due to a lever of the third class, where the power acts 

 between the fulcrum and resistance ; while the bending of the knee, or 

 flexure of the cannon on the fore-arm, shows a lever of the same class, 

 combined with pulley action of the tendons at the knee. If the fore-arm 

 bone the Radius be long, the lifting power of the muscles acting on 

 the elbow as a fulcrum maets a greater waight resistance at the knee, 

 the motion must be slower, and the knee will not be lifted high, as when 

 the bona is shorter. If, too, the cannon bone be short in proportion to 



FRONT LEVERAGE. 



the fore-arm the necessity for high knee action is entirely overcome, and 

 the horse will have an easy reaching stride that covers distance without 

 seeming to exert, and saves the feet by striking lightly even at the high- 

 est speed. 



" The reverse proportion short fore-arm and relatively longer can- 

 non bone insures a high and pounding action of the knees that always 

 tends to greater wear and waste of muscle energy, as well as damage to 

 feet and legs by heavy pounding when the horse is forced to travel fast. 



