42 JUDGING HEAVY HORSES 



that has been first mentioned. It is easy to see that when 

 a muscle is perpendicular to the weight to be lifted the 

 power is applied in the most advantageous way, just the 

 same as when you wish to lift a weight you stand straight 

 over it instead of trying to lift it at arm's length. There 

 seems to be no real reason why the croup should slope so 

 markedly as it does in some strains of horses, as it certainly 

 detracts from their appearance. 



73. Thighs Muscled ; Quarters Full. Passing down to 

 the hind leg the thigh should be closely examined for the 

 development of muscle in that region. The quarters should 

 also be observed with the same object in view. There is a 

 vast difference in horses in this respect, and it will some- 

 times be found that horses very heavily muscled at the 

 croup are very lightly muscled in the quarters. It is a bad 

 defect for a draft horse to be deficient in muscle in the 

 quarters, for it is from these parts that they obtain most 

 of their power to pull. 



74. Hock Wide, Defined, Properly Set. The hock 

 should be closely examined, for in this joint there is likely 

 more work done than in any other single joint of the body. 

 Narrow, tied-in hocks are more subject to curbs than those 

 that are broad. Fleshiness or coarseness about the hocks 

 is very prevalent among draft horses and it is well to ex- 

 amine such closely for bog spavins. The tendons running 

 from the hocks should be large, lean and firm. It is a com- 

 mon defect for a draft horse to be too straight or too 

 crooked in the hock. .One that is set properly gives more 

 power. The worst trouble and the most common one to be 

 noted in hocks of draft horses is that of fleshiness or * ' gum- 

 miness, " and such are not only more liable to hock trou- 

 bles, but it indicates coarseness of organization which is 

 not usually associated with durability. In looking at the 

 hock it should appear wide both from in front of the 

 horse and the side, especially so from the latter point of 

 view. The point of the hock should be as sharp as possible 

 and the same may be said of all its features. Some horses 



