Right forefoot viewed from the side: A, lower end of the cannon; B, fetlock-joint; C, long pastern; D, coronet; E, hoof; F, heel; F′ inner heel; G, foot-lock covering the ergot.
CHAPTER II.
THE FOOT IN ITS RELATION
TO THE ENTIRE LIMB.
Fig. 44.
Normal (regular) position
of fore-limbs.
As there are well-formed and badly formed bodies, so there are well-formed and badly formed limbs and hoofs. The form of the hoof depends upon the position of the limb. A straight limb of normal direction possesses, as a rule, a regular hoof, while an oblique or crooked limb is accompanied by an irregular or oblique hoof. Hence, it is necessary, before discussing the various forms of the hoof, to consider briefly the various positions that may be assumed by the limbs. In this discussion we shall deal with the living horse.
A. Standing Positions of the Limbs.
The position of a limb depends upon the varying lengths of its component bones and the angles at which they meet one another. To judge the standing position of a fore-limb one must stand in front of the horse; to judge a hind limb, stand behind the horse; the backward or forward deviations of both front and hind limbs are judged by standing at the side. But a horse does not always move as his standing position would lead one to suspect; standing and moving are different. Therefore, in order to arrive at a proper judgment, one must observe the limbs both at rest and in motion.
(a) The position of a limb viewed from in front is normal or straight ([Fig. 44]) when it stands vertical or perpendicular. A plumb-line dropped from the point of the shoulder (middle of the scapulo-humeral articulation) should pass down the middle line of the limb, dividing it into inner and outer halves of equal width, and meeting the ground at the middle of the toe.
Fig. 45.