POINTS OF THE CLYDESDALE HORSE.

Waikato Times, Volume XV, Issue 1251, 6 July 1880, Page 2

POINTS OF THE CLYDESDALE HORSE.

An undue length of back is not an uncommon defect m the formation of tl c Clydesdale, and flat badly-sprung ribs — the last of tke latter occasion illy veiy short — form defects ■which it >hould be the object of breeders to remove. The bickis not unhequently low, uwl the hoi>e at first sight looks as if he had no command of himself, the barrel merely forming a bridge between the fore and hind ends. The chest is generally low, bro.wl, and full, if the body in ifUge and round-ribbed ; if not it is narrow, and the horse has a weak and wedgy appearance Broad, low-scfc hind quarters, with muscular thighs descending into broad and proportionately developed ! hocks, sum up the good points of the hind end of the Clydesdale. Narrow hocks are subject to ihoroughpin, &(•. . . . Straight hocks are not liked .... it is questionable if a .straight hock affords as much propelling power a.s one moderately bent. The muscles surrounding the hock should be strong and firm, and° objection is always taken to animals whioh ha\ c thoni loose and flabby, or which to use a breeder's phrase, have " fleshy hocks. " From the hock to the ground the log should be short, broad, flat, clean, oven, and -stiaight or slightly inclined forward, thr sinews .standing out from tho bone aud having a similar fringe of hair to that on the fore legs, and rising as high as the bottom of tho hock joint . . . . . short steep hind pasterns are a very bad fault, as the animal is always sticking its toes into the ground. The average height of the Clydesdale horse is about sixteen hands two inches, though there are several stallions to he found as high as seventeen hands ; but very few over that height. The fashionable colour is brown, that of a deep dark shade preferred, and all the more so if dappled, while black is also common. Urey is not in favor .... Clydesdale breeders are decidedly iuherse to chestnuts. . - . . An occasional roan is to be met \\ ith ; but tins color is only regarded as an evidence of a sfaaij) of impure Wood, neither chestnut nor rc'ii being recognised as Ctydesdale colois. White markings are now \cry common, autlhave come to be lejjanleu 1 as au cvi-

dence of purity of Mooct; few of the Clytleadnlos of tlie present day are with* out white on one of the legs, while a white star or stripe on the face — '• rateh" as some breeders term it — if of the latter form is highly praised. Ji'DGlm;. — In examining a horse when standing a good judge will, in addition to running his eye over the various points mentioned, sec that he stands even and firm on his feet, which in some horses are inclined inwards. To be the least inclined outward is a bad fault As regards the hind legs, a glance will tell if they arc all right with the animal, and hocks close to each other and the feet in the proper place for supporting the weight of the body, while at the same time giving the animal the fullest power for the use of the hind leg, m which lies nearly all the propelling power. In walking the horse should, it approaching yon, come with his head well carried, and with an apparently measured stride, lifting his feet well off the ground and placing them down again regularly, evenly, and with apparent deliberation. On a side view one can notice whether his action be even — t.f., if his fore ami hind action be in unison ; for in horses with long lucks and weak ends the two ends seem to be under different control. . In going away at a walk, a horse should plant his hind feet forward as deliberately as his fore ones, at the same time raising and bending the leg to the hock, winch should be evenly carried forward. If the hocks are turned out in moving them forward, the action is not good, and a Clydesdale breeder considers this an exceedingly bad fault In trotting the horse should bend the legs at the knees and hocks, and from a lfcuil * view the inside of the fore hoofs should almost be seen at every step. If the animal be inclined to mo\G wide behind, this f.iult will easily be discovered at the trotting- pace. Thk Hkad. — A broad jaw, ending ns a rule in a not very fine or well tempered muzzle ; but with large open nostrils. His eye is usually full and vigorous, yet mild ; his forehead broad and full ikjj tween the eyes ; while from the eyes the forehead tapers gradually upwards to the ears, which are long and aeti\ c. Thk Hkad and Shuuldkh. — Experience alone can tea°h one when the head is avcll set on to the neck ; but the latter should be strong, masshu, and of medium height ; while the shoulder should be more oblique than in the English draught horse. This, indeed, is one of the distinctive fe iturcs of the Clydesdale, as to his formation of .shoulder i.s largely owing his long quick step, for which ho is so justly admired. The " upright " shoulder of the English cart horoe may certainly give greater power in the collar ; but if &S ortness and slowness of step be conI sidered this, cannot be called an advantage. | The English cut horbe, besides, is more accustomed to sheer dragging and working in chains, while his Scottish rival is chiefly employed in the tw o-wheeled cart, which occasions a considerable amount of ! weight being b danced on the annual's b ick. Thk Vouklvm. — Quite as essential as the i oblique and closely-topped shoulder | of the Clydi^d.ile for his long quick s'ep, is a str >ng forearm. This part from n side view should be broad ; loaded with lony strong muscle.'-, so as to him full ] tower to bring 1 forward the part beneath ; owl in lcu«rtb should be proportion. \to to the length of the shoulder. A flat ami bio id knee is al-o essential. ... The shankbone should bo fiat ' from a side view, thick and jLj-eutly rounded from a front \ iew, and tapering to an edgo as it goes b.ick. The late Mr i'oulton us^d to say he liked the " ra/orle^gcd" ones, an expression which conveys the i'lea of what thi> p irfc should be. The bac'i part from the knee down should po^e-s :i nice flowing 1 iringe of silken hair, which should sprinir fiom the very clgo of the biin\ This h lir should be of wh.it a indite of .1 sicye teivier would term a '' pily" nature ; and jrood judsres will not hive a hoihc at all the feather of which ha, a ooaisp ma* ted appearance. . . . The sinews of the leg should be thick, .strong", thrown \v<>ll back from tho bone, and cipible ot briny felt with tho hand ,if not, the leg i« not ii <rood one, however thick, ;is ,1 soft lound leg in v,hi<h the -Miievf-s .11^ not very well defined will 11 >t stind work. The lower end of thr> sh ink b me, or fetlo< k, should •il.so be liU'iU 1 in nil 80 as to <>ive full playto the tendon-; and Chde.sdale judges arcal^o U'iy parti< ul.ll .is to this, and to the pastel 11, which dining the last few year-, lias conic in foi a huge share of attention. You.itt writing on this, point siys: — '"The concussion which attend* the common action of the cart-hone is little, because his mo\ements are blow, and theu-foie the uptight and stiong pa-.tc.rn is gnen to linn, which be can foice into tho ground and on which he cm tlnow the whole of his immense weight." If Mr You.itt had ever seen a diaught li')i-e on the sheets of (tl.isgow, or any other l.nge town, "forcing bib upiiL'ht <i)i<l strong pattern" into the gt-auit" pavement, he would possibly have halted before he wrote the above .senten. c. Ko doubt an ujni^ht })ahtcin .slllt^ well the 111 r.ght shoulder and slow action ol the Kngh-h ill aught hor-se, a ontormation wliich eanscaiccl> be called the best foi ail} purpose ; but it will not do in the Clydesdale, which requires a pastei n to suit the foimation of the shoulder, and to confer the necessary elasticity to counteract the concussion caused by his quick (inn step. . . , Without a good, sound, well shaped healthy foot a hoi>e is of no use at all however symmetrical and stiong. . . . The Clydesdale is generally sound on that point. . . . Side hone, and ring bone are said by veterinary surgeons to he less common thin in the carthorses of the .South.— " Clydesdale Stud Book."