14 FORMATION OF 



FETLOCK JOINTS. 



It is necessary that great attention be paid to the 

 formation of this joint, badly-formed joints being the 

 curse of many otherwise good racehorses. 



First examine the joint laterally; the suspensory 

 ligament should appear to go right unto the bone, 

 clearly and well defined; the joint itself should be 

 somewhat flat at the sides and posterior surface, but 

 nicely rounded in front. The bones should feel clear 

 and distinct, or what is termed clean, — i.e., free from 

 all synovial or osseous enlargements. 



PASTERNS. 



The pasterns should be large, long, oblique, and 

 not upright ; which is occasioned by undue contraction 

 of the flexor pedis perforans, which must consequently 

 destroy that elasticity of action so essential to the 

 success of a racehorse. If the pasterns are short, they 

 indicate a want of speed, and tax both foot and leg 

 unduly, and should therefore be avoided even if well- 

 shaped otherwise. I recollect making a memorandum 

 of some thirty thoroughbreds whose legs had given 

 way, and the result was that twenty-eight out of the 

 thirty had short pasterns. 



THE FOOT. 



The foot in a racehorse may not be of so much im- 

 portance as in general purpose horses ; but neverthe- 

 less, I have seen more than one race lost by weakness 

 in this organ on hard ground. 



