THE HORSE. DIFFERENT BREEDS, ETa 8S 



and for a full description 'and history of the breed of horses we refer our 

 readers to this volume. 



In the meantime we cannot do better than abridge as shortly as possible the 

 beau ideal of the horse as given there : 



The kead, a broad jaw, ending, as a rule, in a not very fine or well-developed 

 muzzle, but with large, open nostrils. 



The eye full and vigorous, yet mild. 



The forehead broad and full, especially between the eyes. 



The ears long and active. 



The neck should be strong and massive, supporting the head gaily, and 

 •bowing on its top a good development of muscle. 



The shoulder should be oblique, like a thoroughbred, so that the horse can 

 Btep out boldly. 



The legs should be short from the fetlock to the knee, and comparatively 

 long from the knee upwards. 



The forearm should be well developed, showing lots of muscle. 



The bones must be hard and flinty, flat-shaped, with no fleshiness; both 

 muscle and bone seeming entirely separate. Lots of hair is essential. Of 

 little use itself, it shows forth quality and strength of bone, and is typical of 

 the pure-bred horse. 



The knees should be big and bony. 



The feet of the Clydesdale are nearly invariably good ; great, big, widely 

 developed hoofs of the best quality, and connected with the leg with sloping 

 pasterns, which help every horse to go up and down hill. Nothing, in our 

 idea, is so essential to a draught horse as good pasterns. 



The chest should be broad and full. 



The back and barrel should be straight and round, with the ribs going well 

 back towards the quarters. In this particular we find the weak part of the 

 Clydesdale. He is not altogether so symmetrical as he should be, as a rule, in 

 this respect. 



Broad, low-set quarters, with muscular thighs descending into broad and 

 proportionately-developed hocks, sum up the good points of the hind end of 

 the Clydesdale. Avoid fleshy hocks ; let them be clean cut and devoid of fat 

 or puffing. 



The hind leg should be short, broad, flat, clean and slightly inclined for- 

 ward, while the pastern should also incline forwards ere it joins the hoof. 



The height of the Clydesdale averages about sixteen hands two inches ; over 

 that height they become clumsy, except when very well developed. 



The best color undoubtedly is brown, with white marks, and, so far as 

 possible, this color is being adopted among breeders. 



Good action is sure to be possessed by a horse modeled on the above type. 



Both walking and trotting, there will be a style and majesty that attracts 

 the eye and is useful when at work. 



