278 THE FORE LIMB. 



his readers as follows against extreme views about oblique 

 shoulders : — " Many good judges insist that a cart-horse 

 should possess very sloping shoulders. Whilst admitting 

 the necessity of such a conformation for good saddle and 

 light harness horses, and appreciating its beauty in heavy 

 animals, I am decidedly opposed to the opinion, on the 

 ground that such a form is almost invariably associated 

 with thin withers and shoulder-blades closely applied 

 to the front ribs, affording an insufficient and insecure 

 seat for the collar, and, consequently, one very defective 

 for the purposes of heavy draught." 



Horses — like the heavy draught animals of Edinburgh, 

 Liverpool and Manchester — which have toe-pieces on 

 their shoes, and which consequently make full use of 

 their fore legs as propellers, should have fairly upright 

 shoulders, and should have no bearing-reins, which would 

 impede them in advancing and lowering their heads. 

 Dray-horses, like those in London, which have flat 

 shoes in front, should have sloping shoulders. If the 

 ground, such as wood pavement or asphalte, be un- 

 suitable to the use of toe-pieces, the animals, even if 

 they have not to go out of a walk, should have oblique 

 shoulders ; because in this case, the fore legs will be 

 concerned more in maintaining the stability of the body, 

 than in propelling it. We may also infer that horses 

 which have toe-pieces on their fore shoes, will do their 

 work best when their shoulders are upright. 



The shoulders of the hack and light harness horse ought to 

 be oblique and light, in order to obtain sure-footedness, 

 and sufficient knee action. The shoulders of the match 

 trotter will be considered further on (p. 585). 



The shoulder-blades of the hunter and chaser, as I have 

 already said, should be long and oblique, so as to enable 

 him, in the best possible manner, to resist the shock of 

 landing over a fence. On account of having this special 

 kind of work to do, his shoulders should be more muscular 

 than those of the race-horse. The fact of his shoulders 



