128 THE HORSE. 



WIDE BEHIND. 



Horses that spread or straddle their hind-legs when in 

 fast action usually do so to prevent treading on the fore- 

 feet, their shoulders being too upright to allow the fore- 

 feet to be thrown forward sufficiently to be out of reach 

 of the hind ones. They are seldom good travellers. 

 Their hocks are generally skewed or " cow-hocked," and 

 supposed to be weaker and more subject to disease. 

 Unless, however, it amounts to an extreme malforma- 

 tion, they are SOUND. 



But when they gt) wide owing to stiff or diseased 

 hocks, they are UNSOUND. 



See article on " Upright Shoulders." 



DISHING. 



Dishing is a term used to express the movements of 

 those horses which turn out their fore-feet when in 

 action; they usually lift their legs high and are safe to 

 ride, but unpleasant, partly on account of the peculiar 

 roll of the shoulders, and also because their action 

 bespatters riders with mud. 



This action is sometimes induced by bad breaking; 

 with work it generally leaves horses, or as they get 

 stronger with age they lose the habit. 



A horse that thus turns his feet is unable to perform 

 long journeys or to do extraordinary work, on account of 

 the amount of exertion consumed in accomplishing the 

 useless labor. 



Horses that have this habit may still be considered 



SOUND. 



PIGEON-TOED. 



Horses that stand with the fronts of the hoofs turned 

 towards each other are called pigeon-toed. 



