418 FARM HORSES SHIRES 



considerably at the forearm, which should be moderately 

 long, to give good walking action. The knees and fetlocks 

 should be large ; the limb, from the knee to the fetlock, flat 

 laterally, the tendons and muscles at the back of the knee 

 not in the smallest degree contracted, but well-developed 

 and thrown well back from the bone, and capable of being 

 felt with the hand ; the pastern moderately long and 

 gradually expanding in an oblique direction to the foot. 

 Short upright pasterns are particularly to be avoided ; for 

 it is this malformation that to a near certainty produces that 

 great curse, side-bones, and it also retards action. 



Hind legs. -" The hind legs should be somewhat straight ; 

 being bent, and too much under, or long, and too far behind, 

 are faults. The hock should be broad in front and deep 

 behind, and perfectly free from all puffiness in the seat of 

 bog spavin or thorough-pin, the shank flat, with well-developed 

 tendons, and short to the fetlock. The hind-pastern is as 

 important as the fore-pastern, and should be formed similarly ; 

 and immediately below the hock the measurement should be 

 at least an inch more than below the knee, whatever that may 

 be, according to the size and weight of the animal. This is 

 important as a preventive of curbs. The hind toes should 

 stand square with the front ones, neither inwards nor out- 

 wards, though the latter, if not excessive, is the lesser fault 

 of the two ; if the toes turn inwards, the hocks must turn 

 outwards, which is a point indicative of great weakness, as 

 well as being unsightly. The hocks should go fairly close 

 together when in action. The thigh should be round, and 

 full of muscle, both inside and out, developed well down to 

 the hock. 



Head and Neck. " The head should be somewhat long, 

 with a broad forehead an indication of energy and courage ; 

 the ears rather long and thin, pointing rather forwards ; the 

 eye bright, and somewhat prominent (a drooping eyelid is a 

 symptom of periodical attack of inflammation) ; the neck of 

 medium length, rather too short than too long, or too thick 

 than too thin, and moderately arched. 



General formation. " The shoulder well let down into the 

 chest, and with a moderate slope ; it is not necessary to be 

 too oblique, as with a hunter or a racehorse, but just sufficient 

 to insure free action of the fore legs, encased with plenty of 

 muscle, which will enable him to lean into the collar ; the 

 withers being low, the back will close in nearly level. The 

 girth should be deep and the chest well developed ; for on 

 these two points depends much of the power and constitution. 

 The back should be short and level, not too high nor too 



