40 



FORE LEGS — HOW SET ON. [BOOK I. 



been but for thus holding up his fore feet. On 

 referring to those parts in the plate of a skeleton 

 they will be found thus drawn. 



8. In the next place, Reader ! Viewed in front, 

 the fore legs, upon which the safety and ease of 

 the animal's going chiefly depend, should, to be 

 perfect, be widest next the chest ; approaching each 

 other gradually, until the eye, having compared that 

 Fig. o. part with the pastern, scarcely 



perceives the difference. Here, 

 the leg, taken by itself, is 

 smaller, though the interval 

 between the knees and the feet 

 do not differ, on account of the 

 width and flatness which ought 

 to exist in the well-formed knee, 

 yet, taken on the outside, con- 

 siderably more breadth will be 

 found above than below. Such 

 a knee, when flat and finely marked at the joint, 

 is always strongly covered in a healthy horse, (see 

 Section 15); he then throws it out with great free- 

 dom, and takes a firm step fairly on the entire bottom 

 of his hoof; but, should the leg be ever so good an 

 one in itself, yet if placed too high upon the chest, 

 where it is held, not by a socket or insertion of the 

 bone, but by strong elastic muscle only, this throws 

 the feet too near together upon the ground ; the 

 horse then treads on the outer quarter of his hoof, 

 and wears away the wall ; and, when tired, is most 

 commonly given to cut. Endeavours are used in 



