Base-wide
Fig. 46.
Toe-wide
Fig. 47.
Toe-narrow
(“pigeon-toed”)
In the base-wide standing position ([Fig. 45]) the plumb-line falls to the inner side of the limb; the limb extends obliquely downward and outward. To this class belong also the knee-narrow (knock-kneed) position, in which the knees are too close together, while the feet stand wide apart, and the toe-wide position (splay-footed, [Fig. 46]) in which the toes point obliquely forward and outward. In base-wide positions either the entire limb extends downward and outward or the foot alone is turned outward.
The base-narrow position is frequently observed in horses with very wide breasts. The limbs run downward and inward, a plumb-line dropped from the point of the shoulder falling to the outer side of the leg and foot. A special form of the base-narrow position is the toe-narrow or pigeon-toed position ([Fig. 47]). In some instances the legs are straight and perpendicular down to the fetlock, while from there to the ground the phalanges incline obliquely inward. Another form is the knee-wide or bandy-legged position, in which the knees are placed too far apart, while the cannons and phalanges incline downward and inward.