"SHOULDERS" IN HORSES.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXV, Issue 16606, 18 July 1914, Page 2

"SHOULDERS" IN HORSES.

Different men have different ideas as to equine shoulders. To begin with, what is usually conceded to be excellent or tho reverse in shoulder formation is purely anatomical in all its bearings. The shoulder blade or scapula is tied firmly to the horse's frame by the muscles, and there is no bony connection between the fore leg of the horse and his ribs or backbone; indeed, with a good big jackknife one may easily sever the limb from the body. In the human subject, for instance, the arms (corresponding to the fore legs of the horse) and tho shoulders are jointed together by the collarbone or clavicle, but there is no such bony reinforcement in the horse. Naturally this gives greater freedom in some ways, but in considering the equine shoulder, it should not be forgotten that the fore leg can only be moved forward and back, and not sideways. In other words, the elbow, knee, and pastern joints may bo called "hinge" joints as opposed to the " ball-and-socket " joints in the human arm. > All this should be borne in mind, elementary though it may, be, in order that an accurato understanding of the subject in hand may be had.

The muscles which operate the fore legs are attached to the shoulder-blade in a manner too complicated for description here. The shoulders are also tied together, to,each other, and to the spines of the backbone, and from the point where this junction is effected starts the elastic ligament, or " ligamentum nuchae," which ,is common to all mammals, and which in tho human race permits the individual to return its head to its normal position after having dropped it forward, as in the act of reading a book lying on tho table. This elastic ligament is attached to the highest processes of the backbone and to those directly before and behind them. These facts should be borne in mind. The humerus is the bone which connects the point of the shoulder-blade with the elbow.

Bearing all this in mind, we. may tackle the effects due to different shoulder formations. If the set of the scapula is nearly straight. up an<* down, it follows that there can be littl" angle formed with it by the humerus, and hence the whole bony column of the fore limb is practically straight, up and dowu, and therefore the least' resistant to. concussion and hard knocks. Moreover, when this formation or set of the scapula is present the muscles must be shorter than in any other, for " the reason that a straight line is always the shortest distance between given points. One of the most beautiful illustrations of the necessity for deviation _ from the straight line when concussion must be resisted is furnished by the. human backbone. That extraordinary structure is shaped almost like the letter "f" printed in italic type. .I* it were a straight vertical column the jar occasioned by even walking a short distance would make movement intole" able-

Now we may reach 6ome idea of tho proper position of the shoulder blades of the harness and riding horse. They should slant well backwards instead of lying nearly straight up and down. This places the point well forward and permits of the humerus forming a more acute angle with the scapula, giving greater freedom of motion and reducing concussion, while the muscle* are longer, and, impart a more springy movement to the leg. When this oblique or sloping position of the shoulder is present the wither* are usually thin and the horse " well set up"; when the straight, shoulder is present that very position makes the withers thick and meaty, and lowers the head.

It will be well to point out that straight or upright shoulders usually go with short, stubby pasterns, lack of quality (in most cases' at leas*,, and an inferior way of walking. In fact.the position of the shoulder blades actually governs the manner in which a horse shall walk and for the most part trot. It will probably be conceded by most well posted judges of draught horses that the Clydesdale is one of the best acting draught horses at tho walk. This is anatomically attributed to the great slope of his shoulder and the length and spring of the pastern. The sloping shoulder and oblique pastern enable a horse to reach well out and take hold of the ground 6pringily, whereas, the upright formation makes the horse drive his toe into the ground with much force, to the detriment of his entire structure.- It is needless -to particularise farther. Anyone who will note the position of a horse's shoulders can usually foretell the manner in. which he will walk, arid if he can but see the pasterns and the toes •_ stubbing along and raising a little swirKof dirt at each step it is usually long odds that there is a pair of stiff, upright shoulders atop of them. Coming to what is meant by " harnessy" shoulders in a saddle horsey the term is more or less erroneous, for the reason that the position of the shoulders should be oblique in harness as well as in saddle horses. Those' who use the term mean to convey the idea that the shoulders are more or less upright, and the withers more or. less thick and meaty. This formation, as already detailed, pre-supposes a short heck and a stilted way of I going, both of which are very bad I faults in a saddle horse- A certain amount of jerk-and-slam action may go with straight shoulders, but all the most accurate movers m the high- i stepping classes have possessed sloping ! shoulders; indeed, a very decided slope is necessary to enable any horse to •■■how the correct sort of action, which may be described as that the fore foot should apparently be following the circumference of a rolling• wheel. The, tri'«st arid best action is never associated with straight shoulders. At that, however, much straighter shoulders will do for ordinary harness uses than for the saddle, for n the leather they have not to sustain the superimposed weght of the rider. Hence, the apphcation-or, rathor) misappKcation-of the term /'har-1 ness v '' in describing or discussing the s .f 6 J