E. A. A. GRANGE. 
496 
The hind leg .—The haunch or upper thigh (Plate II, IS - ^) 
is a region that is somewhat difficult to define as far as its exact 
limits are concerned, for we find it running imperceptibly into the 
croup at one extremity, and into the gaskin, or lower thigh, at the 
other, so we will have to draw a little upon our imagination and 
say that it is situated between two lines, the one drawn from the 
upper part of the point of the hip to the upper part of the point 
of the quarter, the other drawn from the stifle joint in an oblique 
direction downwards and backwards following the lower border 
of the prominence formed by the large superficial muscle on the 
outside of the leg (Plate I, 13). In examining horses as to the 
excellence of the haunch we should first of all see that the 
muscles stand boldly out. In the the horse where these muscles 
can be recognized independently of one another, we ususally 
find an animal that possesses a great deal of strength and en¬ 
durance. Then we should view the animal from behind to see 
that the hips and quarters are broad. Broad hips are not only 
indicative of strength but are an immense advantage to the brood 
mare in the act of foaling, because they indicate a large passage 
for the foal to pass through, consequently the act of labor can 
be accomplished with more ease and less risk. 
The gaskin, or lower thigh (Plate I, 15, Plate II, Fig. 2, 
16-16), is the part below the haunch and above the hock; it is 
important that the anterior and external part of it be well de¬ 
veloped, because that part is composed of a group of muscles 
which are concerned in carrying the body past a center under 
certain circumstances. If we examine other instantaneous pho¬ 
tographs (Plate V, P'ig. 1) we will find that in certain attitudes of 
progression the entire weight of the body is upon one hind foot, 
and these muscles are largely concerned in throwing it off or 
carrying it past the center, hence the necessity for a good horse 
to have a lower thigh composed of tough, hard muscles, and if 
they stand boldly out all the better, for then the region becomes 
more attractive. 
The hock (Plate I, 16) is a very important joint, situated 
.between the lower extremity of the gaskin and the uoper end of 
