192 VARIETIES OF THE HORSE 



important point of the breed, should of course lie short to the ground 

 from the shoulder. They ought to be very powerful about the arms, 

 showing great muscle here; with flat, broad knees near to the ground, and 

 with as much bone as possible below them. Below the knee, moreover, 

 the bone should be flat and of a good hard quality; whilst the back of the 

 legs from the knees downwards should lie well feathered with soft silky 

 hair, coarse or curly feather being objected to by authorities on the 

 breed. 



The pasterns are another point in the anatomy of the Scottish horse 

 in which it differs very greatly from the Shire, as in the Clydesdale 

 they should be rather long and sloping, in order to give springiness 

 to the action, which is so much desired. The feet must be of a good 

 size, correct in shape, strong, and absolutely sound. A malformed or 

 diseased foot, and indeed a small or shelly one, would be perfectly in- 

 capable of carrying on a week's hard work upon the stone-paved streets 

 of Glasgow or any other large town in which Clydesdale horses are utilized 

 for heavy draught purposes. The feet, therefore, should be round, wide 

 at the corners, the crust thick, and the heels well developed. 



The middle-piece of a Clydesdale should be big and well sprung at 

 the ribs, a flat-sided specimen of the breed being objected to by most 

 judges. The back is frequently a little longer than it should be to be 

 quite in accordance with what is desired. A slight drop in the back is 

 perceptible in some of the very best horses of the breed, and so is not 

 to be regarded as a disqualification or even as a very serious fault, 

 though it is unquestionably unsightly, and should not be encouraged. 

 The quarters are wide, lengthy, powerful, and well let down. 



The hocks are connected with the stifles by thighs well clothed with 

 muscle, and are themselves broad, well developed, clean, of course, and set 

 at a nice angle. Below the hocks, the bone should be plentiful and Hat, 

 the hocks being near the ground, and the legs perhaps carried a little 

 forward. The feather is abundant and extends upwards to the hocks. 

 The pasterns gently slope and the feet are sound, well shaped, and of 

 ample size. 



The chief colours to be found amongst Clydesdales are brown, black, 

 and bay. Gray is admissible but is not usually encouraged, whereas 

 both chestnuts and roans are not recognized. Most Clydesdales are more 

 or less heavily marked with white, as were the old Lochlyoch mares, 

 the excellence of which has been referred to above. The usual and 

 preferable height for a stallion is about 16 "3 hands, or an inch over, the 

 males, of course, standing lower at the shoulder. 



The action of a < ilydesdale chiefly consists of a light, springy, even walk. 



