As mentioned above, the forelegs are often treated much like human arms and with little regard for how a pony’s legs would actually bend. I think this is fine as long as it is done as a conscious decision. I try to follow the guidelines whenever possible, but won’t hesitate to break the rules if I think it will make the picture better.Re-linking the other tutorials from last time because they also have some good information about forelegs:
Pony Anatomy Tips/Study/Tutorial by kilalaaa
Let’s Draw: Pony Bodies! Tutorial #2 by SorcerusHorserus
Pony Anatomy by spittfireart
the fetlock joint is super important even in the cartooniest version, because the curvature of the hoof on the bottom is more obtuse on the back, and more acute on the front. it looks totally wrong to just draw a symmetrical ellipse at the end of their hoof. gotta account for how the hoof tilts forward from the leg, even if just in the curve on the bottom of it.
oh, and you get forelegs absolutely right. I thought the shoulders of horses were pretty much immovable joints, but I haven’t seen many horses wildly swinging around their forelegs, so 45 degrees of freedom is probably perfectly horsey. and everything else is spot on. lots of artists get this part so tragically wrong!
anyway these are awesome.
Edited