232 ^ THE HORSE. 



breast, which were designed to strengthen the attachment of the shoulders 

 to the chest, and to bind them together, must, when the point of the shoulder 

 lies backward, and under the horse, be proportionably thickened and 

 strengtlicned, and the horse is thus still more heavy before, more unpleas 

 ant, and more unsafe to ride. 



Then, ought every horse to have an oblique shoulder? No! We have 

 been speaking of those which are designed to ride pleasantly, or from which 

 extensive and rapid action is required. In them we have said that an 

 oblique shoulder is indispensable : but there are others which are never 

 ridden; whose pace is slow, and who have nothing to do but throw as much 

 weight as possible into the collar. To them an upright shoulder is an 

 advantage, because its additional thickness gives them additional weigiit to 

 throw into tlie collar, which the power of their hinder-quarters is fully suf- 

 ficient to accomplish ; and because the upright position of the shoulder gives 

 that direction to the collar which enables the horse to act upon every part 

 of it; and that inclination of the traces which will enable his weiglit or 

 power to be most advantageously employed. Of this, however, we sliall 

 better speak when we come to describe the implements of agriculture, and 

 particularly the construction of wheel carriages. 



An improved breed of heavy draught horses has of late years been 

 attempted, and with much success. Sufficient uprightness of shoulder is 

 retained for the purposes of draught, while a slight degree of obliquity has 

 materially quickened the pace and improved the appearance. 



Above its junction with the humerus or lower bone of the shoulder, the 

 shoulder-blade forms what is called the point of the shoulder. There is a 

 round blunted projection, best seen in the cut (p. 230). The neck of the 

 shoulder-blade then forms a shallow cavity, into which the head of the next 

 bone is received. 



The cavity is shallow, because extensive motion is required, and because 

 both of tlie bones being so moveable, and the motion of the one connected 

 so much with that of the other, dislocation was not so likely to happen as 

 if one of them had been fixed. A capsular ligament, or one extending 

 round the head of both bones, confines them securely together. 



This joint is rarely or never dislocated; or should it suffer dislocation, 

 the muscles of the shoulder-blade and the lower bone of the shoulder are 

 so strong, that the reduction of it would be impossible. The point of the 

 shoulder, however, projecting considerably, is much exposed to injury from 

 accident or violence; even turning in a narrow stall has inflicted a serious 

 bruise. Fomentations of warm water will usually remove the tenderness 

 and lameness, but should they fail, blood may be taken from the plate-vein, 

 and, in very obstinate cases, a blister may be resorted to. 



A description of the principal muscles of the shoulder-blade, their situa- 

 tion, attachments, and use, may not be uninteresting to the lover of the 

 horse, and may guide his judgment as to the capability and proper form 

 of that noble animal. 



CUT OF MUSCLES ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHOULDER. 



a and b represent a portion of the muscle (the trapezius, quadrangular 

 muscle), which rises from the longer bones of the withers, broadly and 

 strongly, and from the ligament of the neck (a portion of which is seen ai 

 b), and. narrowing below, and terminating almost in a point, is inserted into 

 a prominent part of the spine or ridge of the shoulder-blade. It occu- 

 pies the space between the withers and the upper part of the shoulder- 

 blade, and is large and strong in proportion to the height of the withers. 



