TYING-IN BELOW THE KNEE. 219 



as a desirable " point " ; not merely as indicating the size 

 of the bone itself, but also that of the other bones of the 

 knee. 



The objectionable tying-in of the knee, which we may see 

 in Pis. 44 and 47, is, I believe, due in almost all cases 

 to an admixture of more or less cart blood. Although 

 individuals of other breeds may be light below the knee, I 

 have never seen in them this fault emphasised by undue 

 width of pastern (from front to rear), in the same manner as 

 it is in the draught animal of Western Europe. Experience 

 tells us that a leg which shows the form of tying-in below the 

 knee to which I allude, is altogether unfit for fast work, 

 or for jumping, and is unobjectionable only for labour which 

 does not require the animal to go quicker than an ordinary 

 trot. The reason for this is, as far as I can see, that a large 

 fetlock is characteristic of cart blood, and consequently 

 indicates that the bones of the part are unfitted for work at 

 fast paces. As bones are subordinate to muscles, we may 

 take for granted that, if the former be weak in structure, the 

 latter, as well as the tendons and ligaments, will also be 

 wanting in strength. Eastern horses, and those of Oriental 

 blood, are often very light below the knee ; but they hardly 

 ever possess undue width of fetlock. A thoroughly sound 

 rule, which is borne out in practice as well as by theory, is to 

 judge (as regards this particular point) the wear-resisting 

 powers of a fore leg by the direction which the back tendons 

 make with the cannon-bone, and not by its measurement 

 below the knee, which is absolutely worthless, unless 

 that round the fetlock is also taken into consideration. It is 

 important to note the difference between a leg which is light 

 below the knee, and one which is tied-in below the knee. 



