LESSON vn. 



THE FORE LIMBS. 



Having come to some general conclusions re- 

 garding the fore extremity, it will be easy for us 

 now to go quickly over a consideration of each 

 part separately. 



61. — The shoulder blade must in all classes of 

 horses be of good length and breadth to afford 

 space for the attachment of the many powerful 

 muscles which take their origin from it. In the 

 race horse it must be placed very obhquely, in 

 order that the great length of arm required can 

 be placed sufficiently downwards and forward, so 

 as not to interfere with the saddle girth. The 

 arm bone, and consequently the arm must be 

 longer than in any other class of horse, and the 

 angle between it and the scapula also be very 

 great. The fore-arm also of the race horse must 

 be long. These conditions necessitate that the 

 ' knee ' of the racer be very near the ground, and 

 as the pasterns must be duly long, and, when 

 walking, be rather upright, in order that the 

 weight of the body in fast galloping may not un- 

 duly bend them, it follows that all this length of 

 parts is at the expense of the metacarpal bones, 

 which must be proportionately shorter than in 



