CONFORMATION OF THE HORSE. 13 



of the brisket. For cart and van horses, medium 

 length of arm is the best. The arms are par- 

 ticularly powerful in Clydesdales, Suffolks, and 

 Shires. 



The Elbows. 



The elbow ought to be broad, and its breadth 

 depends upon the length of the bone which pro- 

 jects behind the line of support. Its use is to 

 serve as a lever to certain muscles attached at the 

 point of the elbow, and the longer the lever, the 

 greater the power of the muscles, and the more ex- 

 tensive, the movement becomes. The points of the 

 elbows, to be typical, should be directed neither in- 

 wards nor outwards, but in a horizontal plane with 

 the body, though with a slight upward incline. 

 When the points of the elbows are inclined 

 towards the chest, this causes the toes to be 

 turned outwards, whereas if the points of the 

 elbows are directed away from the sides of the 

 chest, it has a tendency to cause the toes to 

 turn inwards. The direction of the elbow has 

 thus a much greater influence upon the direction 

 of the lower portion of the limb than many 

 suppose. 



