THE SHIRE AND CART HORSE 



coronet, quittor, flat soles, chronic lameness (founder), canker, 

 thrush, and corns, are the chief diseases met with in the feet of 

 heavy horses. Sidebone has already been alluded to. 



Back and Ribs. — A short strong back, well rounded ribs, 

 and deep girthing are excellencies. Sore back is a fault, often 

 troublesome. 



Chest. — Broad and deep. 



Loins. — Broad and heavily muscled. 



Flanks. — Deep and thick. Many cart and shire horses 

 are too much tucked up at the flanks. 



Croup and Thighs. — Croup, full and round. First and 

 second thigh big-boned and. heavily clothed with muscle, 

 ending in clean strong hocks, free from bone-spavin, thoro-pin, 

 or the so-called bog-spavin, i.e., a soft sweUing at the back. The 

 hinder cannons must be proportionate, clean and well feathered 

 down the back, with the same silky hair falling over the fronts 

 and sides of the coronets as in the fore limbs. 



Stringhalt (Scotch diked) is one of the worst defects of the 

 hind limbs, and destroys the value of the horse. 



Shivering can often be found out by backing the animal. 

 Diseases of the feet are the same as the fore limbs. Roaring, 

 likewise broken wind, completely destroys the value of any 

 horse, and on no account should an animal having these 

 defects be bought. Any abnormal sound heard during 

 exertion should condemn the animal. 



173 



