24 THE SHIRE OR CART HORSE. 



texture, any tendency towards coarseness being 

 indicative of inferior breeding. 



Equally important are the feet, which ought to 

 be large; well open at the heels, and free from 

 disease ; such as side-bone ; sand-crack ; false 

 quarter ; contraction ; flatness of sole, etc., etc. 



Every buyer of a cart horse should pay particular 

 attention to see that the animal has well-formed, 

 sound feet, otherwise it is liable to become a source 

 of annoyance, at some future time. 



The head should be of proportionate size, and 

 free from coarseness ; the neck powerful, showing 

 a well-developed crest, passing below into strong, 

 oblique shoulders, and a short, strong arm. 



The fore-arms of the Shire should be short, but 

 stoutly built. Each should end in a broad knee; 

 more especially the breadth should be particularly 

 well marked at the junction of the cannon, whilst 

 the last-named ought to be ''clean " and big in the 

 bone. Pasterns should be of moderate length ; of 

 good slope, and free from such diseases as ring-bone. 

 If the pasterns are too short, or too upright, they 

 are faulty ; the same remark applies when they 

 are too long, or too obhque. 



It is important to note the manner in which the 

 fore limbs are carried during movement, because 



