DRAUGHT HORSES. 91 



bone, and fetlocks fringed with long, fine 

 hair, the beauty or utility of which, by 

 the way, I could never perceive. Colour 

 immaterial, but black, brown, and the darker 

 shades of bay are most in favour. The 

 Shire should not be too big, but compact 

 and weighty, and should measure 10 to 11 

 inches below the knee, girth from 7 feet 

 9 inches to 8 feet 3 inches, and stand not 

 less than 16, but never more than 17 hands. 

 In breeding it should be remembered that 

 even in cart-horse strains the biggest mares 

 do not necessarily produce the best foals. 

 They cannot well be too broad, but may 

 easily be too high. Never estimate a horse's 

 size by its height, for this often depends on 

 length of leg, which is not a sign of strength, 

 but more often of weakness. Strong muscular 

 development of the loin and straightish hind- 

 leg are desirable, that the horse may be able 

 to walk freely and well with a big load 

 behind him. Breeders, too, cannot be too 



