HEAVY HORSES 191 



sequently it is very possible that this blood was resorted to by breeders 

 of an experimental turn of mind with the object of improving their studs. 

 Whether the introduction of a Shire horse is a judicious act on the part 

 of a Clydesdale owner is, of course, a question that each breeder must 

 answer for himself; but it may be stated that the late Mr. Lawrence Drew, 

 up to the date of his decease, in 1884, entertained the strongest opinion 

 upon this subject. This gentleman contended that the Clydesdale and the 

 Shire horse were practically one flesh, and that the most superior draught- 

 horses were to be obtained by crossing the two breeds. Such a doctrine 

 was very naturally regarded as the rankest heresy by the majority of both 

 Shire and Clydesdale breeders, but Mr. Drew was loyal to his convictions 

 to the last. The most famous animal ever owned by him was the dark- 

 brown Prince of Wales, 673, which was foaled in 1866, and lived until 

 he was twenty-two years old. This horse, so far as his grandsiies were 

 concerned, was of unexceptional Clydesdale blood, but the gravest doubts 

 were entertained by some people respecting the breeding of his grandams. 

 Both of these mares, singularly enough, were grays, and it was the opinion 

 of Mr. Nicol Fleming, who bred Prince of Wales, and of Mr. Lawrence 

 Drew, who owned him during most of his career, that both of them 

 were Shire-bred mares. The horse is described as being rather sour in 

 head, and too straight at the hocks, but a marvellous mover in all his 

 paces; and no doubt he got some fine stock, whatever his breeding- 

 might have been. 



Having thus attempted to trace the history of the Clydesdale through 

 the varying stages of his career, it now becomes necessary to describe the 

 leading characters of the breed. 



The head is broad across the forehead, gradually tapering towards the 

 ears, which are rather inclined to be long and large; the forehead is wide 

 between the eyes, which should be full and lively, though free from that 

 hard, harsh look which disfigures the expressions of many horses. The jaws 

 are broad and not infrequently rather coarse about the muzzle, whilst the 

 nostrils are large and open. A narrow head is not to be encouraged, as 

 this is usually associated with an absence of intelligence, whilst small 

 sunken eyes are generally accompanied by a bad temper. The head should 

 be correctly set on the neck, which it should meet at not too acute an 

 angle, the neck itself being lengthy and deep and nicely arched, very 

 massive and powerfully placed at the shoulders. 



The shoulders themselves partake far more of the riding character 

 than those of any other draught- horse, as they should be sloping and 

 rather long by comparison with those of the Suffolk or the Shire horse; 

 whilst the chest should be broad and deep, and the fore-legs, a most 



