54 



CONFORMATION AND ITS DEFECTS 



is rendered more effective in its results. In addition to being high, the 

 withers should also be ample in length from before to behind, and sloped 

 so as to fall well into the back. 



Ample depth and backward inclination of the shoulder are usually 

 found where the withers are high and sloping. Under these conditions it 



results that the head is well carried, 

 the fore end heightened, the play of the 

 shoulder increased, and greater liberty 

 is given to the entire body. It must, 

 however, be noted that the advantages 

 of height in this region will be more or 

 less discounted in riding-horses if the 

 withers are unduly thin, owing to the 

 difficulty in protecting them against 

 injury by the saddle. 



Coarse Withers are characterized 

 by undue thickness, besides which they 

 are usually low and wanting in length 

 and backward slope. 



In animals so constructed the head 

 and neck are badly carried, the shoulders 

 lack liberty and range of movement, and 

 the action of the fore-limbs is restricted. 

 Moreover, withers when low (Plate IV, 

 fig. 2) and coarse are exposed to in- 

 jury from forward displacement of the 

 saddle, and the imposition of undue 

 weight on the fore-limbs not only impairs 

 the action, but adds materially to the 

 wear and tear of the legs. It must not, 

 however, be concluded that the indiffer- 

 ent qualities referred to are necessarily 

 identified with coarseness. We fre- 

 quently see horses with thick, coarse 

 withers but still possessing ample height, length, and obliquity, and maylte 

 a well-disposed shoulder, which, however, it should be observed, has the 

 defect of being always more or less loaded. In these examples the neck 

 also tends to coarseness, and although the action of both shoulders and 

 knees may be ample, it is usually of the heavy-dwelling order, and badly 

 sustained. Coarseness of this region is often identified with animals of 

 a low type, which, while being deficient in energy, display a marked ten- 



Fig. 46. — Section Uirough the Withers 



A, Rhomboideus. B, Ceirical trapezius, c, Lon- 

 giasimus dorsi. D, Scapula. E, Infra spinatus. 

 P, Panniculus. G, Latissimus dorsi. H, Serratus 

 magnus. I, Interspinales dorsi. J, Levatores cos- 

 tarum. K, Transversalis costarum. L, Serratus 

 anticus. M, Skin. 



