SLANTIXG DIRECTIOX OF THE SHOULDER. SCA 



vantage gained. The power here is twice as far from the centre as the 

 weight is, and therefore advantage is gained in the proportion of two to 

 one ; or if the weight is equal to 200 lbs., a force of 100 lbs. will balance 

 it. If the direction in which the power is applied is altered, and it is in 

 that of the line F, will 100 lbs. effect the purpose ? No ; nothing like it. 

 How then, is the necessary power to be calculated ? The calculation of 

 the force which must be exerted in a dii'ection intermediate bct"\7een the 

 direction of the line E and of the lever A B, involves questions of geometry 

 somewhat foreign to the object of these pages. But though the exact 

 estimation of the exact power to be exerted at intermediate positions is a 

 question of some difiiculty, a very little consideration will serve to show 

 that the force to be applied, increases "with, and in a greater degree than, 

 the angle between the directions of E and F. For suppose the dii'ection 

 of F to coincide with that of A B, then no force exerted, however great, 

 would support C, the whole effect being to move the lever in the direction 

 of its length. 



Let the shoulder of the horse be considered. The point of the should e" 

 — the shoulder-joint — is the pivot or centre of motion ; the leg attached 

 to the bone of the arm is the weight ; the shoulder-blade being more fixed, 

 is the part whence the power emanates, and the muscles extending from 

 the one to the other are the lines in which that power is exerted. These 

 lines approach much more nearly to a perpendicular in the oblique than 

 in the upright shoulder (see cut). In the upright one, the shoulder-blade 

 and the bone of the arm are almost in a straight Hne, and the real action 

 and power of the muscles are considerably diminished. In this point of 

 view the oblique shoulder is most important. It not only gives exten- 

 sive action, but facility of action. The power of the muscles is more than 

 doubled by being exerted in a line approaching so much nearer to a 

 perpendicular. 



There is yet another advantage of the oblique shoulder. The point of 

 the shoulder is projected forward; and therefore the pillars which support 

 the fore part of the horse are likewise placed proportionately forward, and 

 they have less weight to carry. They are exposed to less concussion, and 

 especially concussion in rapid action. The horse is also much safer ; for 

 having less weight situated before the pillars of support, he is not so likely 

 to have the centre of gravity thrown before and beyond them by an acci- 

 dental trip ; or, in other words, he is not so likely to fall ; and he rides 

 more pleasantly, for there is far less weight bearing on the hand of the 

 rider, and annoying and tiring him. It likewise unfortunately happens 

 that nature, as it were to supply the deficiency of action and of power in 

 an upright shoulder, has accumulated on it more muscle, and therttfore the 

 upright shoulder is proverbially thick and cloddy; and the muscles of the 

 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 shoul- 

 der lies backward, and under the horse, be proportionately thickened and 

 strengthened, and the horse is thus still more hea\y before, more unjilea- 

 sant, and more unsafe to ride. 



Then, ought every horse to have an obHque shoulder ? No. The ques- 

 tion has relation to those horses that are designed to ride pleasantly, or 

 from which extensive and rapid action is required. In them it has been 

 said that an obHque shoulder is indispensable : but there are others which 

 are seldom ridden ; whose pace is slow, and who have nothing to do but 

 to throw as much weight as possible into the collar. To them an upright 

 shoulder is an advantage, because its additional thickness gives them 

 additional weight to throw into the collar, which the power of their hinder 

 quarters is fully sufficient to accomplish ; and because the upright position 



