54 EXAMINATION OF HORSES AS TO SOUNDNESS 



such as has just been described is more fitted for 

 harness work. 



When the animal is required for riding, the 

 shoulder should be long and cleanly developed, 

 and placed upon the trunk, as it were, in a 

 slanting or oblique manner. With a shoulder 

 such as this, the horse, by being able to extend 

 his fore-limb well, can get away much better at 

 the canter and gallop, and also gives his rider a 

 nice easy feel. 



The Arm. — The arm, or that portion of the 

 leg between the elbow-joint and the knee, should 

 be long, whilst plenty of bone should be present, 

 and the muscles upon it well developed. The 

 greater the muscular development the better. 



The knee should be prominent, and nearly flat 

 in front, whilst it should appear small when 

 viewed from behind. Laterally, it should be 

 wide. A horse should stand quite straight at 

 the knees, and if he stands over at them, a 

 weakened condition of the ligaments and tendons 

 is indicated. The limb below the knee should 

 be flat and broad, and the tendons distinctly 

 defined and tense. The metacarpal or shank 



