16 



HACKS AND HUNTERS 



a saddle is as likely to slip forward on a horse with a 

 good shoulder but a low wither, the withers are the 

 main thing to be considered; and a horse with a high 

 wither and a straight shoulder is preferable to one 

 with an oblique shoulder and a low wither. If the 

 correct position of the saddle on the horse's back were 

 the only advantage derived from an oblique shoulder, 

 we might concede their point, but our contention is 

 that the main advantage to be gained from this forma- 

 tion is the aided mechanical freedom and perfection 

 of stride. 



So much for the reason why an oblique shoulder is 

 preferable in a horse to be used under saddle. Let 

 us now consider what really constitutes an oblique 

 shoulder. 



To begin with, the shoulder is not one bone, as it is 

 commonly spoken of. It consists of (a) the scapula 



Fia. 1 



A. Scapula 



Fia. 2 



B. Humerus 



Fig. 3 

 C. Shoulder Joint 



Fig. 4 



or shoulder blade proper, and (6) the humerus or true 

 arm. The shoulder blade lies obliquely forward from 

 the withers, and joins the true arm at what is com- 

 'monry called "the point of the shoulder." The scap- 

 ula should be slanting and long (see Figure 1). If it 



