76 JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



cording to Goubaux and Barriere 6 ' ' should be examined 

 as to its form, direction or carriage, volume, length, mode 

 of attachment to the head, and its movements." The 

 heavy, muscular neck of the draft horse is important as an 

 aid in shifting the center of gravity forward and bringing 

 as much power into the collar as possible. The throat-latch, 

 that portion at the angle where the lower jaw and neck join, 

 should be neat and trim, showing no unnatural fullness 

 about the windpipe, suggestive of difficulty in respiration. 

 One should have no difficulty in feeling the windpipe, 

 which should be large and clearly defined. The neck should 

 fit into the shoulders with some curve on each side and with- 

 out any depression on top where joining the withers, thus 

 providing a snug and smooth resting place for the collar. 

 The carriage of the neck should be graceful and com- 

 paratively high, expressive of constitutional vigor and 

 spirit, and accompanied by a free movement of the fore- 

 limbs. A mane of good length is desirable since in summer 

 it provides important protection from flies. 



The shoulders of the draft horse should slope fairly well 

 into the back, though not to so great a degree as in the race 

 horse. As a general principle, the more oblique the 

 shoulder, the easier it is for a horse to raise and move for- 

 ward his legs. In view of the fact, however, that the draft 

 horse is to walk rather than trot, a moderate degree of 

 obliqueness will afford sufficient ease of locomotion. Meas- 

 urements of Goubaux and Barriere have shown 7 an angle 

 of 65 to 70 degrees to be most desirable for draft purposes. 

 The stride accompanying the straight shoulder, however, 

 it must be remembered, is harder and brings more concus- 

 sion than in the case of the oblique shoulder. The heavy 

 draft horse with straight shoulders used on city pavements 

 has an inclination to foot trouble and especially side bones. 

 The shoulders should be wide, with ample space for strong, 

 muscular attachment, and the blade should be smoothly 



The Exterior of the Horse, 2d ed., Philadelphia, 1904, p. 99. 

 ., p. 210. 



