STRUCTURAL EXAMINATION 29 



46. Thighs Muscular, Deep. The thigh should be full 

 and plump with muscle which should also extend as far 

 down towards the hocks as possible. Some horses have this 

 feature so strongly developed that the muscle continues to 

 the hock and gives the latter a thicker appearance. The 

 thigh should be long, making the hocks low, as this con- 

 tributes to a long stride. 



47. Quarters Heavily Muscled. The quarters viewed 

 from behind should show a heavy mass of muscle between 

 the legs. Perhaps there is not another part of the muscular 

 system that shows a greater variation in development in dif- 

 ferent horses than the quarters, for while some will be cat- 

 hammed there are others surprisingly full in this part, with 

 deep, hard muscle. 



48. Hind Legs. The set of the hind legs has a direct 

 bearing on their liability to diseases. A leg that is bent too 

 far forward is likely to develop a curb, while one that is too 

 straight is more subject to fullness in the hock region, pre- 

 disposing it to either thoroughpin or bog spavin. In look- 

 ing from the side at a leg that has correct conformation, a 

 plumb line from the center of the hip joint should equally 

 divide the gaskin and the foot. Dropping a plumb line from 

 the point of the buttock it should run parallel with the 

 line of the cannon. From behind, the same line should 

 equally divide the hock, cannon, pastern and fpot. 



49. Hocks Wide, Straight, Clean. The hocks should 

 be clean and broad and the point should be prominent as 

 the leverage of the most powerful muscles attached here 

 depend to a great extent upon this. There should be no 

 gumminess about the hocks ; the web should be especially 

 clean and free from all fleshiness or puffs of any kind. In 

 running the hand over the hock, all the depressions that are 

 characteristic of the sound hock should be easily felt and 

 the bone should feel firm without the least indication of un- 



