146 CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK AND COMPLETE STOCK DOCTOR. 



useful. For quick action and mettle his bulky body, conformation and 

 temperament unfit him. In a Standard Stud-book the different varie- 

 ties of the Shire that formerly existed in England are classified as three, 

 as follows: 



(1) Those having the upper lip garnished ^vith a long, thick mous- 

 tache, considered at one time a distinguishing characteristic of the Lin- 

 colnshire horse. 



(2) Horses having the lips, muzzle, and eyelids destitute of the hair. 

 The skin in these places is either entirely bald or covered with exceed- 

 ingly fine down, is almost invariably flesh colored, and is sometimes 

 marl: 3d with small dark spots and blotches. These are termed bald 

 horses or bald faced. 



(3) Those having a long tuft of hair growing from the front of each 

 knee, and rarer examples having also a similar growth from the hind 

 part of the hock, just below its point. This is quite different from the 

 ordinary hair on the back of the cannons. 



The Shire of today is a marked improvement over the horse of fifty 

 and one hundred years ago. The features of large size, hairy legs, and 

 draft type have been maintained, but he has in his improved condition 

 more action, spirit and life, has more grace of form and quality of finish 

 and more uniformity of type. The standard breeders recognized the 

 need of an immediate improvement of their draft horse for emphasizing 

 quality, action, flat bone and uniformity. This improvement has been 

 greatly aided by the Shire Horse Societies. 



He is the largest of the British draft breeds and is excelled in weight 

 only by the Belgian. Stallions weigh from 1,800 to 2,000 pounds and 

 are comparatively common, massiveness having long been sought by 

 Shire breeders. In height the Shire stallion should stand close to 

 seventeen hands, although the average is about two inches less. The 

 color of this breed is somewhat variable, though of recent years bays and 

 browns have been most common, white markings on the face or forehead 

 and on the legs below the knee or hock being likewise characteristic. In 

 a minor degree there are shades of roan, gray, black, sorrel and chestnut. 

 The barrel of the Shire is larger and deeper than that of the Clydesdale, 

 thus giving more weight. The legs are large, powerful and the bone 

 fairly flat. British critics in the past have objected to round cannons, 

 and flatter, stronger legs have become more common in recent years. 

 The back of the cannon bones, knees and hocks have long, flowing, fine 

 hair in the best specimens of the breed. Excessive leg hair is objected 

 to as indicating too much sluggishness and lack of quality. Less hair 

 and finer bone is preferred. The pasterns have been subject to criticism 

 as being too short and not sloping enough, though modern types show 

 improvement here. The feet are large and inclined to be flat at the 



