KNEECAPS. 77 



cap, which is sewn on to a piece of horsecloth or 

 some such material. Now, if the shape of a horse's 

 knee is examined, it will be observed that it is not 

 round, but oval ; and when the knee is bent up in 

 action, it very materially increases in size. It is 

 therefore necessary that the cap of the kneecap 

 should be sufficiently large to allow of the perfectly 

 free and unrestrained movement of the knee, and 

 without strain on the straps which fasten it on 

 above. If this is not the case, as may be readily 

 inferred, the horse's action must either be impeded 

 or the strap of the kneecap must give and burst. 

 If the former, the horse, being unable to bend his 

 knee properly, may, in consequence, fall ; if the 

 latter, the kneecap becomes a useless encumbrance. 

 A kneecap, therefore, requires to be made 

 scientifically. The upper strap, or stay, is that 

 one of the two which kneecaps are provided with, 

 and which serves to keep the latter up; the lower 

 strap is intended to keep it down. It is therefore 

 obvious that the upper strap must be tight enough 

 for the purpose, and yet, if too tight, it will either 

 burst or cut into the flesh. It is no uncommon 

 thinof to see a white rinsr of hair above and below 

 the knees of a horse. These indicate that at some 

 time some fool of a groom has buckled the knee- 

 caps on too tightly, and that they have cut into 



