14 FORMATION OF 



FETLOCK JOINTS. 



It is necessary that great attention be paid to the 

 formation of this joint, badly-formed joints being the 

 curse of many otherwise good racehorses. 



First examine the joint laterally; the suspensory 

 ligament should appear to go right unto the bone, 

 clearly and well defined; the joint itself should be 

 somew^hat flat at the sides and posterior surface, but 

 nicely rounded in front. The bones should feel clear 

 and distinct, or what is termed clean, i.e., free from 

 all synovial or osseous enlargements. 



PASTERNS. 



The pasterns should be large, long, oblique, and 

 not upright ; which is occasioned by undue contraction 

 of the flexor pedis perforans, which must consequently 

 destroy that elasticity of action so essential to the 

 success of a racehorse. If the pasterns are short, they 

 indicate a want of speed, and tax both foot and leg 

 unduly, and should therefore be avoided even if well- 

 shaped otherwise. I recollect making a memorandum 

 of some thirty thoroughbreds whose legs had given 

 way, and the result was that twenty-eight out of the 

 thirty had short pasterns. 



THE FOOT. 



The foot in a racehorse may not be of so much im- 

 portance as in general purpose horses ; but neverthe- 

 less, I have seen more than one race lost by weakness 

 in this organ on hard ground. 



