THE SHOULDER. 55 



through which its outlines are sufficiently apparent to render the 

 horse a most desirable subject for any student of the anatomy of 

 the bone to make observations upon. Muscle-less, and consequently 

 weak as such shoulders are, horses having them often are en- 

 dowed with brilliant action, and, for riding, turn out most agree- 

 able ; to carry or draw weight however, or as hunters — or even as 

 racers, except for light weights and short distances — these horses 

 never can turn out of any value : unless they happen to have — 

 which is very seldom the case — extraordinary powers in their arms 

 and hind quarters, and width in the chest. But when the reverse 

 of this accompanies the thin or fleshless shoulder, however deep it 

 may be, however oblique, however fine upon the withers, for all 

 purposes where stability, strength, and endurance are required, it 

 is absolutely inefficient. 



In the department of this important subject — the shoulder— I 

 will endeavour to redeem a promise I made at the conclusion of the 

 last lecture, viz. to shew that horses, after they have to the common 

 observer appeared to have completed their growth, do actually 

 " rise" or grow in their withers, even, in some scarce instances, 

 after the expiration of their seventh year. 



So extremely variable and uncertain is found to be the growth 

 of animals, that it is with a full sense of the fallibility of our pre- 

 dictions that we, at any period of their lives, offer opinions about 

 the height they are likely to attain. I have heard a gentleman 

 very conversant and observant in these matters say, it is best not, 

 in purchasing horses, to make too sure of their growing after the 

 third year of their age ; and where colts at this age have the ap- 

 pearance of being proportioned, and, as the phrase goes, " set," this 

 is a practical hint which I hold to be well worthy of remembrance : 

 as a general observation, however, it by no means applies.* In our 

 table, 17 three-year-olds out of 144 appear not to have grown in 

 height, making a ratio of twelve per cent. Our faculty of forming 

 tolerably correct opinions concerning future growth will mainly 

 depend upon our opportunities of observation and the accuracy 

 with which we may make deductions. Growing young horses, like 

 growing boys and girls, are, as the phrase goes, " all legs and 



* These remarks are meant to apply to general appearances ; and not to 

 have any reference to actual admeasurement. 



