14 THE HIND LEO. 



If the pastern be too long, the leg is very liable 

 to strain, and even the horse to break down 

 when urged to the top of his speed. If it be too 

 upright, the action of the horse is stilly, and very- 

 unpleasant to the rider. And besides that, such 

 horses are, from the concussion they are liable 

 to, very subject to diseases of the bones below 

 the knee, such as ring bones, splints, &c. 



The foot should be as nearly round as possible, 

 smooth, and displaying no signs of brittleness by 

 pieces being broken and chipped off by the nails ; 

 the sole should be bat moderately concave ; 

 when flat, it is objectionable, and particularly 

 so in the heavy, high actioned horse, for there is 

 then a probability, of its becoming convex. 



The Hind Leg. 



I have already spoken of the quarter. The 

 part between the stifle and hock joint, commonly 

 called the thigh, should be long, and, above all, 

 supplied with abundance of muscle. 



he hock should be broad from before back- 

 wards, because when it is so, it shows that a lever 

 (the point of the hock) is long, and, consequently, 



