28 MANUAL OF FASM ANIMALS 



hock as possible, without giving the leg too straight an appear- 

 ance. Some horses are so straight in this respect that the 

 muscle extends to the hock, giving it a thick appearance. Horses 

 show much variation in the muscling of the quarters; some are 

 full and heavily muscled, some decidedly lacking and called 

 "cat hammed," while others are fairly full in this region, with 

 deep, hard muscles. 



The hind legs from the thigh to the hock should be long, 

 fairly straight, and well muscled, though they must not be too 

 straight, thereby causing either thoroughpin or bog-spavin. 

 On the other hand, if the legs are bent too far forward, it is 

 hkely to develop curb. The position of the croup and thighs, 

 together with the long legs, should be such as to give length 

 from the hip to the hock, as this is the conformation desired 

 among animals of speed. 



The hocks should be wide, properly set, and clean. They 

 should also be free from gumminess, fleshiness, and puffs of all 

 kinds, and the bone firm without the least indication of unsound- 

 ness. The bone forming the point of the hock should be 

 prominent, since this gives a better attachment for the muscles 

 and tendons which pass over it, thereby giving the hind leg a 

 deeper appearance and increasing its efficiency. The hocks 

 are subject to many defects more or less serious, such as cow 

 hocks, capped hocks, open hocks, crooked hocks, and the like. 



The hind cannons should be short, wide, clean, with tendons 

 well detached and parallel to cannon bones, which gives 

 better attachments and strengthens the cannon. Slender hocks 

 and narrow cannons, especially at the top, indicate a predis- 

 position to curbs on account of the weakness thus produced. 

 The cannon should be free from all evidences of unsoundness. 



The hind pasterns should be sloping and strong. When the 

 horse is standing, they will be more upright than the front 

 pasterns, and this is not so objectionable as there is less con- 

 cussion on the hind foot, the weight borne being only four- 



