AS TO SOUNDNESS. 17 
cealed by the trick of holding up the head and fright- 
ening the horse into the attitude of “attention.” In 
going round the horse at this stage, a practised eye 
soon finds a spavin, a fractured ileum, odd eyes, odd 
fore feet, and so many other things, that it is of im- 
portance to do this carefully, as we may frequently 
cut short the examination. Of the thousand-and-one 
blemishes, one or more of which we may now perceive, 
I have nothing to say at present; but itis at this stage 
one sees “shaky” fore legs, with or without broken 
knees. With regard to broken knees, we can dispose 
of the case quickly and without a second thought; but 
if, as often happens, we come across them when in 
other respects they are perfect, .we frequently find a 
difficulty in deciding. I may here tell you that this 
trembling condition of the fore legs is due to a loss of 
balance in the tone of the extensor and flexor muscles 
of the leg; this may be congenital, or be brought about 
by overwork, or, suddenly, by over-exertion. In some 
cases, this loss of balance between the two opposing 
sets of muscles is sufficient to throw the knees forward, 
and give the fore legs a permanent bend. I have no 
doubt you will all have seen such cases in horses of 
unblemished reputation as hunters and as harness 
horses; but in these cases safety of the “forehand” is 
ensured by the limbs accommodating themselves to the 
altered circumstances. 
Almost at any cover-side you may observe this bent 
condition of the fore limbs. I have frequently seen 
2 
