Kotes on Cart Horses. 
317 
some redeeming feature ; but in the case of a draught-horse 
there is not the same force in the objection to upright shoulders. 
Indeed, I am not prepared to dispute the arguments of some 
writers that there is some advantage arising therefrom in the 
coHar strain being distributed over the horses' framework more 
evenly than is the case with very slanting shoulders. How- 
ever, I have had cart-horses possessing what nag-breeders 
would call splendid shoulders, which were remarkable for their 
power of drawing heavy loads ; but these sloping shoulders 
were united with withers high and muscular, and presenting a 
good recess in front of the scapula for the collar. It should 
be borne in mind that the notion of a well-sloped shoulder- 
blade being essential to, and always connected with, a well- 
placed humerus, is entirely erroneous ; for in many horses with 
good, slanting shoulders the humerus is found in quite as bad 
a form is in the example Fig. 2, and such horses are very apt 
to stumble. 
In order that the action may be perfect, it is not only neces- 
sary that the joints referred to should be properly formed, but 
also that both fore and hind legs should be correctly shaped and 
placed. On p. 318 are given three illustrations of fore legs ; and 
following are three specimens of hind legs, in end view. The 
right position, it will be obvious, is indicated by ISo. 1 ; the 
central lines showing that the weight of the animal rests upon 
supports well-nigh perpendicular in structure and position, whilst 
the other examples mav be compared to resting a building upon 
iron columns cast out of the straight, or erected out of the 
perpendicular. The comparison is even worse than this ; inas- 
much as in a building there is only stability to be considered, and 
no locomotive wear and tear to be contended with ; whereas, in a 
case of the horse, such natural defects in the direction of weakness 
have to sustain the shocks of constant concussion and wear. 
The same reasoning does not apply with equal force to the hind 
legs, which have not to bear so large a proportion of the weight 
of the carcass or to withstand the same force of concussion. 
The office of the hind le^s is rather to sustain the strain arising 
from propulsion. The position of the several joints, as indi- 
cated by the centre lines in Xo. 1, will show, without argument, 
how much better they are placed for withstanding the strain 
thrown upon them than are the corresponding parts in the other 
drawings. 
I deem it unnecessary to dwell upon points with which every 
breeder has long been familiar — such as flat legs, large joints, 
clean hocks, and big thighs. But I will turn to that most im- 
portant point, the foot. In passing, however, to that, I must 
call attention to the necessity of the coronet and pastern-bones 
