And now, as regards the lower parts, the hocks,[31] or shanks and
fetlocks and hoofs, we have only to repeat what has been said already
about those of the fore-legs.

[31] {ton katothen astragelon, e knemon}, lit. "the under (or hinder?)
knuckle-bones (hocks?) or shins"; i.e. anatomically speaking, the
os calcis, astragalus, tarsals, and metatarsal large and small.

I will here note some indications by which one may forecast the
probable size of the grown animal. The colt with the longest shanks at
the moment of being foaled will grow into the biggest horse; the fact
being--and it holds of all the domestic quadrupeds[32]--that with
advance of time the legs hardly increase at all, while the rest of the
body grows uniformly up to these, until it has attained its proper
symmetry.

[32] Cf. Aristot. "de Part. Anim." iv. 10; "H. A." ii. 1; Plin. "N.
H." xi. 108.

Such is the type[33] of colt and such the tests to be applied, with
every prospect of getting a sound-footed, strong, and fleshy animal
fine of form and large of stature. If changes in some instances
develop during growth, that need not prevent us from applying our
tests in confidence. It far more often happens that an ugly-looking
colt will turn out serviceable,[34] than that a foal of the above
description will turn out ugly or defective.

[33] Lit. "by testing the shape of the colt in this way it seems to us
the purchaser will get," etc.