446 



were at least partially due to the capacity of the soil to support 

 large-framed animals, some at least of which were imported from 

 England. 



Special Characteristics of the Clydesdale. Bay and brown are the 

 commonest colours ; black and grey (which becomes white with age) 

 comes next, and more rarely, chestnut and roan, with very frequently 

 a silver hair through the darkest coat, a white blaze and one or 

 more white feet. The height averages, for mares about 16 hands, 

 and for stallions 16' 2, few exceeding 17 hands. 



The breed is famous among draft horses for unsurpassed activity, 

 strength, and cleanness of bone, freedom and general perfection of 

 knee and hock action at the walk and in the trot ; length, strength, 

 and slope of pastern to 45; gaiety of carriage; fineness of skin; 

 silkiness, straightness and length of the hairy fringe down the back 

 sinews before and behind; general beauty of symmetry, with a 

 tendency in some members of the breed to shortness in the back- 

 ribs and consequent lightness in the barrel; good sloping shoulders 

 and short muscular loins and back, which last frequently looks hollow 

 because of the height of the powerful well-fleshed withers and noble 

 chest. In action the hocks move closely together, especially in the 

 mare, and the hind toes turn slightly outwards, but not sufficiently 

 to throw out the stifle joint. Wideness at the hocks, more common 

 with stallions than mares, implies weakness of the loins and tends to 

 grow worse with age or after a period of service ; the joints of the 

 limbs should be large and clear, and the large round feet substan- 

 tial, smooth, shortened at the toes and well arched below, without 

 any trace of thinness or flatness. 



THE SHIRE HORSE. Points in which the Shire differs from the 

 Clydesdale. The best types of Shire horses differ little in points 

 from Clydesdales except in their greater massiveness (which gives 

 them a great advantage in money value) and their lack of finished 

 quality, especially seen in the heavier head and coarser legs and 

 feet. As the shoulders are not so well laid back, a great many of 

 the breed are deficient in the splendid action for which the Clydes- 

 dale is noted. The objects striven for are the same in both, although 

 in some particulars the one strain has got a little ahead of the other, 

 and vice versd; "size, soundness and substance" are wanted, with 

 " good feet, good legs, good walking action and a robust consti- 

 tution." 



THE SUFFOLK: PUNCH. The Suffolk Punch was named from its 

 native County and from the thick-set body and short legs of the 



