CONFORMATION OF HIND-LIMB. 



177 



disease of the feet. It is usually seen in horses in which the 

 pasterns are fairly long and oblique, and where ' knuckling at 

 the fetlock ' is not to be expected. Where the pastern is short 

 and upright, on the other hand, knuckling at the fetlock is the 

 commoner condition. 



(&) The hind-limbs are normal (fig. 153) when a vertical line 

 let fall from the point of the ischium divides the limb (seen 

 from behind) into two equal parts. When viewed from the 

 side, however, the line should touch the os calcis and fall a 



Fig. 153. — Normal position 

 of limbs. 



Fig. 154.— Hocks 

 turned in. 



Fig. 155.— Hocks 

 turned out. 



short distance behind the bulbs of the heel. A vertical 

 line let fall from the middle of the hip joint should meet the 

 outer quarter of the hoof. The hind like the fore limbs may 

 be bent outwards or inwards. The hocks may be turned either 

 in (fig. 154) or out (fig. 155) or excessively curved (fig. 156), 

 the lower portion of the limb being then too oblique ; or, lastly, 

 the limb may be placed too far back (fig. 157). This confor- 

 mation, though at first almost advantageous and conducing to 

 speed, is associated after much work with partial luxation of 



