3U SCIENTIFIC HORSESHOEING. 



action. The length and obliquity of the shoulder-blades are the- 

 influential features. A long shoulder-blade implies long mus- 

 cles, and these possess the greatest elasticity. Short and heavy 

 muscles are productive of power at the expense of speed. Up- 

 right shoulders result in a short, stilted front action, while slop- 

 ing shoulders give the leg a far-reaching motion. Horses of 

 this conformation carry their heads well and legs well under the 

 body, that adds much to their appearance. 



Front Limbs. — As a whole, the front legs should be rather 

 flat and cordy, due to properly attached tendons. In their pro- 

 portions, the limbs should be long from the elbow to the knee 

 and relatively short from thence to the ground. It is the upper 

 part that is muscular, the lower portion being controlled by ten- 

 dons, and it is desirable to have these muscles long and the dis- 

 tance over which the tendons move short, that there may be no 

 waste of energy and a better control over the lower extremities. 



Breadth and depth are very desirable in the knee^ that con- 

 cussion may be better distributed and carried ofl". The pisi- 

 form-bone should be sharp and prominent, for to it is attached 

 one of the important muscles of the fore limb. The cannon 

 should be short, flat, and clean of any thickness of tendon or 

 bone disease. A pastern of the proper proportions not only 

 adds to the gracefulness and elasticity of the action, but to its 

 reach as well. A slope of forty-five to fifty degrees seems to be 

 about right to give the required degree of strength and supple- 

 ness. When the pastern is too long, weakness follows ; but 

 when right in length and slope, there is a combination of 

 strength, elasticity, and gracefulness beautiful to observe. 



When the foot leaves the ground the pastern is bent back, 

 but when it again touches the ground, it is extended fully and 

 brings the foot down on its heels. There is no other part of 

 the mechanism of a horse that does more work and does it with 

 less friction than a sound and perfectly proportioned pastern. 



