THE BODY AND LIMBS. 27 



stands well out, the advantages are greatly increased ; for 

 not only do the muscles act meclianically to greater advan- 

 tage, but the flexor tendons likewise have their powers much 

 augmented ; which explains why a horse tied in under the 

 knee, as it is called, soon becomes strained, the legs get 

 bowed or arched, and totter on the slightest exertion. 

 Dealers frequently assert that such a horse was foaled so ; 

 and it may be true that the colt was born badly formed, but 

 that circumstance does not render the consequences likely 

 to ensue the less awkward. It may be considered as a rule 

 admitting of few exceptions, that hardly one horse in fifty 

 reaches eight years old with straight legs and sound pasterns. 

 The tendons themselves, which are the back sineivs of horse- 

 men, should moreover be continued downwards, so as to 

 give a surface of great width to the leg, but which should 

 be thin posteriorly : the mass of sinew itself should, how- 

 ever, be considerable, and as hard to the feel as iron. In 

 blood-horses this form is particularly observed ; on the con- 

 trary, in the cart-horse the back sinews are seldom propor- 

 tionally so large, and more seldom are they so well placed. 

 These important tendons should stand wholly distinct and 

 clear from the knee to the fetlock : when any thickening is 

 observed in their course, some injury has been received. 

 If the swelling appear nearer to the bone than the tendon, 

 particularly if it be on the inner side, it betokens a splint. 

 When a splint is situated forward, and evidently distinct 

 from the tendons, it frequently occasions no future incon- 

 venience ; but when it appears to extend itself inwards and 

 backwards among the ligaments and tendons, it irritates 

 these parts, occasions inflammation, and ends in an enlarged 

 callous swelling. When the flexor tendons and their sheaths 

 are swelled, and rounded, as it were, into one mass with the 

 bone, leaving no distinctive marks between the one and the 

 other, still greater mischief, probably, has at some time hap- 

 pened. Either some of the ligaments have become rup- 

 tured, or such a relaxation has taken place from strain and 

 subsequent inflammation as will always keep the limb weak. 

 To detect lesser enlargements of the tendons and liga- 

 ments, the eye alone should not be trusted, particularly in 

 hairy-legged horses ; but the hand should be deliberately 

 passed down the shank before and behind. The inner and 



