POSTERIOR MEMBER. 287 



which expose to external view, in all their details, the bones, the sus- 

 pensory ligament, the tendons, and the blood-vessels. This state indi- 

 cates a noble ancestry ; it is found in horses of the distinguished races 

 and those of their race which show their lineage. 



This quality can habitually be perceived by a glance of the eye ; 

 but many also endeavor to appreciate it by passing the hand over the 

 lateral faces of the region, a manner of procedure which has primarily 

 the advantage of betraying the existence of blemishes. It is necessary 

 to attract the animal's attention before practising this manipulation 

 upon the posterior members, in order to avoid his kicking or biting. 



In common subjects, even in the best, the skin is thick and the 

 connective tissue abundant. When carried to the extreme, these char- 

 acteristics cause the canon to be spoken of as round and the tendons as 

 fleshy, defects essentially prejudicial in pleasure-horses, in which tlie 

 distinctness of the lines and the fineness of their extremities are the 

 indispensable conditions of their value, while in draught-horses no 

 importance is attached to them. 



Density. — The firmness of the tendons denotes the density of the 

 tissues, the energy, the quickness of movement, the blood, the race, 

 and the resistance of the constitution. This is ascertained by the sense 

 of touch and not by striking the cord of the flexors with the foot, 

 which some persons practise to judge of it as well as of the solidity 

 of the member. It is easy to comprehend that such a method can give 

 no positive information, since it is the surprise and not the weakness 

 of the parts which causes the horse to flex the limbs. 



Neatness of Outline. — This neatness — that is to say, the 

 absence of blemishes — is the most important qualification to be 

 realized in the examination of the canon. It is indispensable that to 

 the inspection and to the touch the outline should be normal ; that the 

 ridges and grooves of this region, which we have described, should 

 be quite marked without any alteration. 



Diseases and Blemishes. — First among these are skin wounds resulting 

 from contusions and kicks given or received by the animal. When these are the 

 result of the repeated contact and friction of the opposite feet during locomotion 

 they receive the name speedy-cut, and the animal is said to overreach himself, 

 strike himself, "^"^ himself. We will again return to them when treating of the 

 defects of the gaits. 



It is not rare, either, to see blood-tumors, hot abscesses, and inflammatory 

 enlargements of the subcutaneous tissue or of the lymphatic vessels on the internal 

 face of the canon. Lymphangitis of a malignant type, often symptomatic of a 

 glandero-farcinous diathesis, has a faA'orite seat in this region. Let us also indi- 

 cate the enormous indurations of the skin and the subjacent connective tissue, 



