i84 THE FORE LIMB. 



in Figs. 285 and 286 sections (viewed horizontally) through the 

 shoulders of four different kinds of horses, made respectively 

 by a transverse plane passing obliquely from the highest 

 point of the withers through the upper part of the fore arms, 

 so as to afford a fair idea of the contours of the shoulders at 

 their thickest parts. The direction of this plane is shown by 

 the dotted line a bin Fig. 287. The width of the shoulders 

 will attain its maximum measurement at about half way down, 

 namely at c, on the same figure. The horses represented in 

 Figs. 274 (well-shaped thoroughbred of the 11 -stone hunter 

 class), 277 (well-shaped 15-stone hunter), and 275 (thick- 

 shouldered thoroughbred of 13-stone hunter type), measured 

 between the points of the shoulders (width across the breast), 

 respectively 15, 17 and 18 inches. These photographs have 

 been done on nearly, though not quite the same scale. 



Length of skotdder-blade is a valuable ** point" in all 

 classes of horses. In the racer, considerable length of the 

 muscles which open and close the angle made by the 

 shoulder-blade and humerus, is conducive to speed. As the 

 size of a bone is, as a rule, proportionate to the strength of 

 the muscles which are attached to it ; the length of the 

 shoulder-blade may generally be taken as a measure of the 

 strength of the muscles which connect it with the trunk, and 

 upon which the weight-bearing powers of the animal are 

 mainly dependent. Hence, a large shoulder-blade is not 

 alone advantageous to the weight carrier and heavy cart- 

 horse ; but it is also essential to the jumper, in order to 

 enable him to bear the shock of landing over a fence with 

 a man on his back. The dog, which has a short shoulder- 

 blade, as compared to the horse and ass, is, as we might 

 expect, a very bad weight carrier. We may prove this 

 practically by testing the respective strength of back of a 

 mastiff weighing, say, ten stone, and a very small donkey, 

 who, although he might not have as great draught power 

 as a dog, would be able to carry far more weight. 



The shoulders of the race^horse, as I have already indicated, 

 should be long, oblique, and as light as is compatible with 



