HOW TO KNOW HEVI. 41 



It should not only be strong, but placed in the 

 proper position, and at the right angle of inclination. 

 In the horse of slow work the pastern should be short, 

 and nearly upright ; but, in the horse kept for speed, it 

 should be long and well slanted, in order that it may be 

 sufficiently elastic to relieve the ends of the upright 

 bones of the terrible concussion which would otherwise 

 be given to them whenever the foot, while the horse is in 

 rapid motion, is brought to the ground. A saddle-horse 

 for instance, whose pasterns are short and nearly per- 

 pendicular, will feel stiff and uncomfortable to his rider; 

 while the jars and the jolts to which he is exposed by 

 every step he takes will shortly induce disease in the 

 feet, and bones of the leg. But the pasterns must not 

 slope at too great an angle, as those of some animals do ; 

 for then the weight of the horse falls so far back of the 

 foot, that the bones do not help uphold the body, and 

 the whole burden of support is put upon those tendons 

 that run over the back-side of the ankle-joint. Such 

 a formation will invariably and speedily lead to the 

 straining and breaking-down of the back tendons. "If 

 the pasterns are too long and too small in the hunter 

 and steeple-chaser, they will not be able to sustain their 

 weight in dropping from their leaps over fences; but if 

 they are tolerably long, very thick, and well slanted, 

 they will have plenty of strength, combined with a suffi- 

 cient degree of elasticity. An upright pastern, whether 

 long or short, is highly objectionable in a horse for either 

 saddle or harness ; and a weak one is, in all cases, un- 

 pardonable." 



