22 THE HORSE 



straight shoulders and pasterns may be verified by 

 any one who cares to ride successively horses with 

 both parts long and sloping, with both parts short 

 and straight, with straight shoulders and long 

 sloping pasterns, and with long shaping shoulders 

 and short, straight pasterns. Of the last three 

 forms the verdict will be in favor of the long 

 pasterns and straight shoulders as the least un- 

 comfortable, and as the jar is to them so it must 

 be to the horse, and it is impossible to lay too 

 much stress on the importance of good pasterns 

 in harness as well as saddle-horses. The hind 

 pasterns are ahvays more upright than the fore ; 

 but a condition of knuckling over is due to ex- 

 cessive work or to working a colt too young. In 

 the former case it points to wealaiess of tendons. 

 "When viewed from the front, the pasterns should 

 be straight, i. e., the feet should turn neither in 

 nor out. Cart horses very constantly turn their 

 feet in, and apparently this formation, which is 

 most obvious when going up-hill, has some ad- 

 vantage when moving a great weight. Short, 

 straight pasterns are of mechanical advantage to 

 a cart horse, and as these animals have not to 

 travel fast there is no objection to this formation 

 if the shoulders are long and sloj)ing. 



