312 THE HIND LIMB. 



be well developed, so that, when viewed from the rear 

 (Fig. 385), they should leave no unsightly gap between the 

 legs. For speed, the thigh should be comparatively 

 short (p. 189), in which case the stifle will have the 

 appearance of being placed high up on the flank. The 

 stifle should be directed well outwards, so that it will 

 have no difficulty in clearing the abdomen, which the 

 peculiar construction of the hock joint that is explained 

 on p. 74, enables it to do. It seems probable that the 

 fact of some " cow-hocked " (hocks turned in, p. 313) 

 horses being able to show an unexpected turn of speed, 

 is frequently due to this kind of conformation conferring 

 on them increased ability to bring their hind feet well 

 forward. 



Tibia. — Under this term, are included the muscles 

 and tendons between the stifle and point of the hock, with 

 their coverings, as well as the tibia (Fig. 18), which is 

 the bone that lies between the stifle and hock joint. 

 For speed, the tibia should have a maximum of length 

 (p. igo). It is relatively long in the hare. 



The Gaskin is one of the most important points by 

 which we may judge of the suitability of a horse for fast 

 work, for I venture to submit, after a long and careful 

 study of the subject, that it is impossible for a horse to 

 have a really fine turn of speed, unless he has broad gas- 

 kins ; width of gaskin being conferred by length of os 

 calcis (Fig. 18). We may see from Fig. 47, that the longer 

 the OS calcis, the greater is the mechanical advantage at 

 which the muscles that are attached to the point of the 

 hock, work. These muscles agree in length with the tibia, 

 and the longer they are, the quicker 'will be the action 

 of the hock in propulsion. The gaskin should be broad, 

 for purposes of speed ; and in all cases its muscles should 

 be well developed (Frontispiece and Figs. 277, 387 to 391, 

 and 404). In Fig. 386, the gaskin is poor. 



