THE CLYDESDALE DRAFT HORSE I95 



mares one to two inches less, although occasionally 

 animals of this breed are observed that will stand over 17 

 hands in height. The preferred color and markings are 

 bay or brown, with a white star or blaze on the fore- 

 head or face, and with white legs up to the knees and 

 hocks. Other colors are found, particularly blacks, grays 

 and chestnuts. Gray is unpopular, however, and chest- 

 nut indicates English Shire blood. 



The head is large with nose often slightly arched ; the 

 nostrils wide and open ; the eyes bright, clear and full of 

 vigor, yet mild ; the forehead, full between the eyes, but 

 tapering upward; and the ears of fair length and active, 

 indicative of good disposition. The neck is of medium 

 length and massive, slightly arched in the stallion, and 

 also in the mare when she becomes old or in high condi- 

 tion. The shoulders are somewhat oblique, accompanied 

 by high withers, thus providing conditions favorable to 

 a free, easy and long stride. 



The back is straight a'nd broad with the ribs well sprung. 

 Formerly shortness in the rear ribs was a common defect 

 in the Clydesdale, making him too light in the belly and 

 leggy in appearance, although in recent years much atten- 

 tion has been given to increasing the depth of the body by 

 adding to the length of the rear ribs with a corre- 

 sponding lessening of the criticism. The croup is muscu- 

 lar with tail well set, and the quarters especially well de- 

 veloped. The thighs are rounded and muscular. The set 

 of the knees and hocks is one of the strong points of the 

 breed. The hock is free from coarseness, suggestive of 

 disease, with the hollows well formed. The cannons are 

 short and flat with plenty of substance and the sinews at 

 the back of the legs are strong and well defined. The fet- 

 locks are large and strong and the pasterns fairly sloping. 

 The feet are large and occasionally too thin and flat at 

 the heels. White feet, though common, are objection- 

 able, being frequently, though not invariably, softer than 

 the dark colors. They are now so prevalent among the 



