Horses 



305 



leg and lighter and longer of body. Three features made 

 prominent by the breeders of these animals serve to make the 

 Clydes rather distinctive. These are color, feather on the 

 legs, and action. Bay or brown are the colors most desired. 

 Formerly some of the animals were black, gray, or chestnut, 

 but in 1827 the Highland Agricultural Society ruled that only 

 bay or brown animals could compete for prizes in the shows. 

 Naturally this caused breeders to choose individuals of these 

 colors for mating and, as a result, most of the animals now 

 seen are either bay or brown. The breeders desire, also, a 

 white blaze on the face and white on one or more of the feet. 

 The feather on the legs is very characteristic of the breed. 

 This is the long silky hairs that grow on the back of the legs 

 below the knees and hocks. In action the animals are un- 

 equaled by those 

 of the other draft 

 breeds, some horse- 

 men claiming that 

 the breeders lay too 

 much stress on this 

 quality. 



Shire. A native 

 of England, the 

 Shire (Fig. 121), is 

 the result of cross- 

 ing the native mares 

 there and stallions 

 brought from Nor- 

 mandy and Flan- 

 ders. In general appearance Shire horses resemble Clydes, as 

 they are usually bays or browns, have white markings on the 

 face and legs, and feather on the legs. The stallions range in 

 height from 16 to 17-2 hands and in weight from 1800 to 

 2400 pounds. The animals are low-set and the body is of 

 good width, depth, and length, with heavily muscled shoulders 



FIG. 121. Shire stallion. 



