CHAP. I. THE CLYDESDALE BREED. 389 



Good sound legs and feet are essential to all horses, and are certainly 

 not undervalued in the Clydesdales; in fact some judges, in their 

 admiration of such good qualities, frequently lose t sight of "top" 

 altogether. 



The forearm, from a side view, should be broad ; loaded with long, 

 strong muscles, so as to give full power to bring forward the part 

 beneath ; and in length should be proportionate to the length of the 

 shoulder. A flat and broad knee is also essential. 



The shank-bone should be flat from a side view, thick and gently 

 rounded from a front view, and tapering to an edge as it goes back. 

 The late Mr. Fulton used to say that he liked the " razor-legged " 

 ones, an expression which conveys the idea of what this part should 

 be. The back part from the knee down should possess a nice flowing 

 fringe of silken hair, which should spring from the very edge of the 

 bone. This hair should be of what a judge of a Skye terrier would 

 style a "pily" nature ; and good judges will not have a horse at all 

 the feather of which has a coarse matted appearance. Possibly too 

 much attention is paid by Clydesdale breeders to this point, and many 

 will not exhibit at certain shows because their horses at the particular 

 time happen to be what they term " bare of hair." The hair certainly 

 creates a false impression of strength of bone, as an animal which has 

 a broad forearm and well-developed knee, if deficient in " feather," 

 does not compare well with one possessed of a nice flowing fringe 

 several inches long ; and this is decidedly disadvantageous. But the 

 high value set upon nice silky hair is on account of its being in all 

 cases a certain indication of a strong, healthy bone, as the hair of a 

 short, coarse, matted kind suggests a decided tendency to grease. All 

 horses have a tendency to lose their hair when being put into show 

 condition (i.e., loaded with fat like a bullock), and so " blistering," it 

 is to be regretted, is commonly resorted to in order to strengthen its 

 growth. The hair produced by this process is not, however, so silken 

 or so fine as the natural, and the difference is easily detected by the 

 practised eye. 



The sinews of the leg should be thick, strong, thrown well back 

 from the bone, and capable of being felt with the hand, if not, the leg 

 is not a good one, however thick ; as a soft, round leg, in which the 

 sinews are not very well defined, will not stand work. 



The lower end of the shank-bone, or fetlock, should also be large in 

 all, so as to give full play to the tendons ; and Clydesdale judges are 

 very particular as to this, and also as to the pastern, which should be 

 moderately sloped, and of a medium length. 



Broad, low-set hind quarters, with muscular thighs, descending into 

 broad and proportionately-developed hocks, sum up the good points of 

 the hind end of the Clydesdale. Narrow hocks are so subject to 

 thoroughpin, &c., that most breeders avoid them, even though there 

 may be no perceptible marks of unsoundness. Straight hocks are not 

 liked ; but if the other parts are proportionate and the action is sound : 

 no exception is taken to this formation. It is as a work-horse, how- 

 ever, that the Clydesdale should be considered ; and it is questionable 



