XENOPHON'S WAR HORSE 23 



hoofs keep the frog at a distance from the earth, while 

 the flat hoofs tread with equal pressure on the soft 

 and hard parts of the foot, as is the case with bandy- 

 legged men. And Simon justly observes that well- 

 footed horses can be known by the sound of their 

 tramp, for the hollow hoof rings like a cymbal, when 

 it strikes the solid earth. But, having begun from 

 below, let us ascend to the other parts of the body. 

 "It is needful, then, that the parts above the hoofs 

 and below the fetlocks the pasterns be not too erect, 

 like those of the goat; for legs of this kind, being stiff 

 and inflexible, are apt to jar the rider, and are more 

 liable to inflammation. The bones must not, however, 

 be too low and springy, for in that case the fetlocks 

 are liable to be abraded and wounded, if the horse 

 be galloped over clods or stones. The bones of the 

 shanks should be thick, for these are the columns which 

 support the Tbody; but they should not have the veins 

 and flesh thick, likewise. For, if they have, when the 

 horse shall be galloped in difficult ground they will 

 necessarily be filled with blood, and will become vari- 

 cose, so that the shanks will be thickened, and the 

 skin be distended and relax from the bone; and, when 

 this is the case, it often follows, that the back sinew 

 gives way and renders the horse lame. But if the 

 horse, when in action, bends his knees flexibly at a 

 walk, you may judge that he will have his legs flexible 

 when in full career; for all horses, as they increase in 

 years, increase in the flexibility of the knee. And 

 flexible goers are esteemed highly, and with justice; 

 for such horses are much less liable to blunder or to 



