40 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



gives a good opportunity for tlie sinews to run over it. 

 I do not care so much for the size of the bone as I do 

 for the material of the neighboring parts. The sinews 

 should be large, because a large sinew is always con- 

 nected with a large muscle. Above all, it is desirable 

 that they should be of such firm texture as to feel to 

 the examining touch like so many distinct and closely- 

 woven cords. If they are swathed in a soft, puffy 

 material, and feel to the hand as if incased in fat, 

 instead of being cordy and wire-like, you may well 

 beware of them. To this may be added, that the 

 sinews should be thrown out from the leg-bone ; be- 

 cause if they do not, but are tied down closely to it by 

 the ligaments which bind them to their place, they will 

 be exposed to a dangerous friction and strain. Such a 

 leg is a bad leg to have under any horse. 



I would here pause to observe, lest I should be mis- 

 understood, that the reason why the leg of a cart-horse 

 must be larger than the leg of a thorough-bred is not 

 because the thorough-bred's would not answer if the 

 cart-horse had it, but because the cart-horse does not 

 have it : by which I mean, that, when you do not have fine 

 bone texture, you must have size ; for sufficient strength 

 to uphold the horse must, of course, be there in the one 

 form or the other. And, since the leg-bone of the cart- 

 horse is porous and spongy, it must be larger in bulk, m 

 order to supply the needed amount of strength. 



The last portion of the fore-leg that I shall mention 

 in detail is the pastern. A bad pastern is a great defect. 



