22 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



defect, although unsightly, is not necessarily a sign of 

 weakness. If it is a natural formation it is not so 

 detrimental as the more common "over in the knees" 

 variety, which is, as a rule, a result of overwork having 

 weakened the muscles of the knee. The tendons back 

 of the cannon-bone should be absolutely parallel and 

 should neither "bow" outward nor be "tied in," or 

 what is termed "cut out," immediately beneath the 

 knee, for this predisposes to weakness in these parts. 



These tendons should be tense and hard to the touch, 

 and the space between the tendon and the bone should 

 look and feel "hollow." If it is filled with soft sub- 

 stances it is called "gummy" and is not likely to stand 

 up to much work. The quality of the tendons and 

 the quality as well as the quantity of the bone are 

 the most important considerations in determining the 

 amount of work and weight a horse is up to. The size of 

 the leg has little to do with the bone, for it is the quality 

 of the latter rather than its quantity that counts. 

 The bone of a thoroughbred, for example, is harder 

 and denser and more nearly resembles ivory than 

 that of a common horse, which is usually porous and 

 of softer material. Therefore, the bone of the former 

 is far stronger in proportion to its size. For this reason 

 measuring a horse's leg does not always tell the whole 

 story, and a good wiry bone, with clean sinew, although 

 smaller in actual size, should be preferred to a larger 

 bone of poorer texture surrounded by "gummy" tissue. 



Sharply defined ankles usually accompany good bone 

 and clean sinews, while "round" ankles, which merge 

 without any distinct fine of demarcation into the leg, 

 are generally a sign of low breeding and poor bone. 



The pasterns should be neither very upright, for this 

 causes a horse to be hard and stilty in his action and 



