464 



THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



many of the horses in mountainous countries, especially remarkable for 

 their aptitude for resisting fatigue and privations. It seems to exist 

 likewise in the Barb horses and in those of Central France. If this 

 remark is well founded, we should not, however, imagine that there is 

 a relation of cause and effect between this disposition of the hock and 

 the qualities to which allusion has been made. The robustness and 

 the energy of which Vallon speaks pertain especially to the race, to the 

 blood, to the conditions of existence, and to the manner of rearing. These 

 qualities would not in any manner be less if the hock, instead of being 

 hooked, were well directed. 



Horse Cross-footed Behind (Fig. 166). The convergence of 

 the hoofs by their anterior part is usually the consequence of the devi- 

 ation of the hock externally to the vertical line. It gives rise to the 

 same accidents and disadvantages as in the fore-members. The con- 

 tact of the foot with the ground is uneven ; it takes place more espe- 

 cially upon the external mamma, and the animal, awkward in walking 

 on uneven ground, frequently strikes himself with the internal mamma. 

 His movements are ungraceful and lack the precision necessary to an 

 energetic and rapid impulsion from behind. 



Following the example of several authors, especially Vallon, 1 we 

 will here give the synoptic table of the axes, their defects and their 

 principal inconveniences. 



ANTERIOR MEMBER. 



Member viewed in Profile. 



REGULAR AXES. 



A vertical line low- 

 ered from the middle of 

 the arm should inter- 

 sect the middle of the 

 hoof and remain equi- 

 distant from the verti- 

 cal lines drawn from 

 the point of the shoul- 

 der and from the sum- 

 mit of the elbow. 



A vertical line drawn 

 from the articulation 

 of the elbow should 

 pass through the mid- 

 dle of the knee, the 

 canon, and the fetlock 

 and fall a short dis- 

 tance behind the heels. 



IRREGULAR AXES. 



If this line falls in front of 

 the hoof, the horse is under 

 himself. 



If it falls behind the hoof, 

 the horse is camped. 



If the knee projects in 

 front of this line, the horse 

 is arque or knee-sprung. 



If the knee is carried be- 

 hind this line it is said to 

 be hollow, effaced, a sheep's 

 knee. 



If the vertical line falls too 

 far behind the heels, the 

 subject is long- or low-jointed. 



If it meets the heels or the 

 anterior parts of the foot, the 

 horse is short- or straight- 

 jointed. 



DISADVANTAGES. 



Excessive wear and strain of the 

 bones, the tendons, and the ligaments; 

 slowness of the gaits; insecure foot- 

 hold on the ground ; tendency to fall; 

 forging. 



Bruising of the heels; excess of 

 weight on and wear of the hocks and 

 the posterior fetlocks ; pain in the foot 

 in standing and uncertainty of the 

 fore-feet ; slow gaits. 



Index of use and weakness of the. 

 fore-members; fatigue; uncertain con- 

 tact ; predisposition to falls. 



Strain of the lateral and posterior lig- 

 aments of the knee : premature blem- 

 ishes of this region ; lack of firmness 

 of the anterior members. 



Strain of the ligaments of the fetlock 

 and of the flexor tendons ; predisposi- 

 tion to overreaching ; easy reactions. 



Surcharging of the phalanges ; pre- 

 disposition to knuckling and contrac- 

 tion of the heels ; reactions hard. 



Vallon, Cours d'hippologie, t. i. p. 475. 



