HIND EXTREMITIES. 105 



by quickness and extent of motion of the parts most 

 concerned in speed, so that straight hind limbs are 

 stronger but have less of that quick perfect flexion 

 or hock action which has such an attractive ap- 

 pearance. 



The front and back of the hock must also have 

 plenty of breadth. The point of the hock short of 

 being ' capped' cannot be too broad. 



83.— The metatarsal bone must be short and 

 stout, and the hock as near the ground as possible. 

 This bone is thickest from before backwards, and as 

 the back tendon must have the same characters as 

 we described in the case of the like structure in the 

 fore limb, it follows that these parts will be altogether 

 deeper from before backwards. As in the case of 

 the fore limb, the tendon must stand out distinctly 

 from the bone, and the suspensory ligament be well 

 defined. 



84. — The pasterns must also have much the 

 same qualities as those of the fore limb in each class 

 of horse. 



S5. — The foot also must have the same general 

 characters as the fore foot, but the long axis of its 

 oval is always from before backwards. The hind 

 foot does not call forth the fraction of the amount 

 of care as is the case with the fore foot. It is less 

 often unsound, and its unsoundness less frequently 

 leads to the same disastrous results. It is well 

 however to look to it much in the same manner as 

 in the case of the fore foot. • 



