THE TYPES AND CLASSES OF HORSES 



101 



as possible toward a given point. The hock should be 

 wide, as viewed both from in front, and one side, and have 

 plenty of depth. Such a conformation provides room for 

 strong muscles and tendons to connect with this joint. 

 The hock of the draft horse should be sharply defined in its 

 various curves, free of all excess flesh or puffy condition. 

 It is a common sight with horses in high condition and lack- 

 ing exercise to have a fullness of hock, or what is often 

 termed "meaty" hocks. A side view should show this 

 joint hard and clean, notably hollow in its central face, 

 without evidence of swelling. The point of the hock should 

 be prominent, broad and firm, and neatly turned, indicat- 

 ing a strong connection of the back tendon in this most im- 

 portant joint. Occasionally the point of the hock will 

 appear puffed and fleshy. This is due to blows, and is 

 usually caused by the horse 

 kicking some hard obstacle 

 behind, after which the 

 points of the hock swell, re- 

 sulting in a "capped" con- 

 dition. This should never 

 appear upon an uninjured 

 horse. The lower part of 

 the hock, to be of maximum 

 strength, should be wide, so 

 that where merging with the 

 cannon below,- there will be 

 no contraction in compari- 

 son with the cannon further 

 down. The hocks of the 

 draft horse are naturally 

 larger and more fleshy than 

 those of a smaller class, be- 

 ing a part of a massive ani- 



1 Tj! ii 1 • • ' -J I'iS- 53. — "A slight curve to this 



mal. It the gaskm is wide, p^^t, to which the name sicltle hock 



and the hock is not tied in l^as been given." a curb is also 



, , ,T 1 1 -n 1 1 to be seen just below the point of 



below, the hock will' be rela- the hocu. (See page 202.) 



