58 



THE HORSE. 



pezium, requires to be thick and strong, and therefore 

 it must extend to some distance beyond the sinews 

 which are to pass under it. Besides the trapezium 

 ought to be very large and well thrown back, for the 

 pui-jDose of affording a favom*able leverage, as well as 

 a large basis of attachment, for those muscles of the 

 aim which are connected with, and terminate in, 

 it. Hence it follows that we must expect a slight dip 

 rather than a perfectly straight sm-face, immediately 

 below the trapeziiun. The centre of the lower ex- 

 tremity of those muscles which lie on the back of the 

 arm, may be taken as the point from whence the 

 sinews start. The sinews should be peimitted to run 

 in a perfectly straight line from then* commencement 

 here, until they pass over the lower end of the shank- 

 bone towards the back of the pasterns. The less they 

 deviate from this line, the more perfect will be their 

 action, the less strain will there be upon the ligaments, 

 and the gTcater will be the amount of exertion which 

 the parts will endm'e with impunity. 



I need scarcely remark here, that the leg-bone of 

 the cart-horse must be a great deal thicker than the 

 same part in the thorough-bred, in consequence of the 

 great difference which exists in the density of their 

 structm-e, as well as to preserve a due proportion in 

 the general outline of the animal. We should never 

 judge of the thickness of the legs in a blood-horse by 

 the look of the eye alone. They are always deceptive, 



