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CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE FORE LIMB. 



General View of the Fore Limb — Chief Duties of the Fore Limb — Fore 

 Legs in Saddle and Draught — The Shouldei — Humerus — ^ElboTv — Fore 

 Arm — Knee — -From Knee to Fetlock — Fetlock — Pastern — Hoof. 



General View of the Fore Limb. — The term *'fore 

 limb" or ** fore leg" is applied to the column of bones 

 from the shoulder-blade to the hoof (inclusive), and the 

 attendant soft parts. As the chief muscles of the neck are 

 concerned in the movement of the fore limb, we must take 

 into consideration the conformation of the former part while 

 studying that of the latter. The shape of the muscles which 

 lie between the^upper portion of the limb (above the elbow 

 joint) and the chest must not be neglected ; for they, 

 respectively, connect the limb to the trunk, and draw it 

 upwards and backwards. The size of some of them, as 

 mentioned on p. 169, regulate the width between the fore 

 legs. ^ As the action of the neck muscles, as regards the 

 fore limb, has been considered in Chapters X. and XVL 

 (pp. 68 and 1 54), and that of the other muscles in Chapter IV. 

 (pp. 31 and 32), they need not be specially noticed here. I 

 shall now examine the nature of the work which the fore limb 

 has got to do, with the object of drawing conclusions as to the 

 conformation most suitable to it in particular cases. As its 

 various parts should move in harmony together, it will at 

 first be more profitable to study them collectively than 

 particularly. 



Chief Duties of the Fore Limb are — (i) to support 

 weight; (2) to resist the injurious effects of *'work" on its 



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