ATTITUDES. 



451 



defective, for such direction favors the influence of these forces instead 

 of resisting them. 



The muscles or the ligaments, according to the nature of the devi- 

 ation, are therefore required, in such cases, to supply the insufficiency 

 of the support given by the arrangement of the bones of the mem- 

 ber ; whence more fatigue and more chances of damaging the locomo- 

 tory apparatus. 



Let us recall, finally, that the prominence or the effacement of the 

 angle of the fetlock leads to consequences of the same order, by throw- 

 ing upon the supporting tendons or the 

 bones a large portion of the weight of the 

 body, which, in the case of regular axes, 

 — that is to say, of a proper opening of 

 the articular angle, — these agents of dis- 

 persion should distribute almost equally 

 among themselves. We will say the same 

 of the excess or deficiency of the length 

 of the phalangal lever, so often accom- 

 panying long and low pasterns. The 

 details, which we have already given in 

 their proper place, allow us to dispense 

 with any further remarks here. 



Axes viewed in Front. — In order 

 that the horse may be regular in the 

 axes of his anterior members, the direct- 

 ing axis of the latter must blend, as we 

 have seen, with the vertical line which 

 passes through each centre of anterior sus- 

 pension. But to judge of this it is not 

 sufficient to regard these members in 

 profile, for we would be unable to per- 

 ceive the outward or the inward devia- 

 tions of this axis which might readily 

 take place. Hence we should, by all 

 means, complete our examination by the 

 consideration of the animal upon his 

 anterior face. 



A single line suffices, in this position, 

 to show the regularity of the axis : 



A vertical line drawn doivn from the point of the shoulder should divide 

 the knee, the canon, the fetlock , and the foot into two equal parts (Fig. 154). 



Fig. 154. 



