THE CLYDESDALE 



119 



heel ; the coronet wide ; the pasterns fairly long and rather slop- 

 ing ; the cannons short, flat, hard, and cordy ; and the fore arms, 

 arms, thighs, and quarters notably muscled and strong. From 

 the back side of the leg at the cannons should grow an abun- 

 dance of long, fine hair, a striking feature in the best specimens 

 of Clydesdales, indicative of quality. White feet, though com- 

 mon, are objectionable, since they lack the density and wearing 

 power of dark feet, and there is a distinct objection to them 

 in the Argentine and elsewhere. Emphasis is laid on the full- 

 ness of the feet, the 

 obliqueness of the pas- 

 tern, and the flatness 

 and cleanness of bone 

 of lower leg. The body 

 of the Clydesdale has 

 been most subject to 

 criticism in the past, 

 lacking in depth and 

 circumference when it 

 should have fullness as 

 showing both feeding 

 capacity and weight to 

 draw loads. Good 

 horse critics still insist 

 that this deficiency of 

 form is still too prev- 

 alent with this breed. 

 The shoulder is rather 

 oblique, with high withers, being superior in this respect among 

 the draft breeds. The chest is narrower than with other drafters, 

 a very wide chest being regarded as objectionable, giving less 

 action and more of a paddling gait than is consistent with smooth, 

 true movement. The action of the Clydesdale is notable, not 

 being surpassed by any breed. Says Alexander Galbraith, an 

 acknowledged Scotch-American authority on this breed : 



Great attention has been paid by the Scottish breeders during the last 

 twenty or thirty years to the matter of action. No other draft breed has 

 received one half the attention that the Clydesdale has in this respect, and 



Fig. 43. Benedict 9300, a Clydesdale stallion im- 

 ported to America by Brookside Farm, Ft. Wayne, 

 Indiana. In 1904 bought by Montgomery Bros., 

 of Scotland, and returned to that country. One of 

 the greatest sires among modern Clydesdales. 

 Photograph by the author 



