THE CLYDESDALE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19697, 26 January 1926, Page 4

THE CLYDESDALE.

HISTORY AND ORIGIN OF BREED. FEATURES AND CHARACTERISTICS. What are the characteristic features of the Clydesdale breed of horses? The oldest judges of Clydesdales in the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire hold fast to the opinion that the breed has changed little in the past century. Few will admit any great improvement by modern studmasters, and state emphatically that the characteristics displayed to-day are almost identical with those to be seen half a century ago at the Lanark and Hutherglen fairs. Some even go so far as to claim that the strains which flourished in the early 20's and 30's of last century were a sounder and better type than the modern high-priced animals. Such opinions must be subject to some reservation, but even modern breeders will allow that when the breeding area was confined to narrow limits, much more care was taken in mating and selection than is the case now, when breeding is confined to no particular county or State. The head of the typical Clydesdale horse is an important consideration with judges. He has a broad jaw, ending as a rule in a muzzle not too fine or welltapered, but possessing large open nostrils. The eye must be full and vigorous, yet withal mild. The eyes set well in the forehead should have'a generous expanse between them. From the eyes the forehead tapers gently towards long and active ears, if these points are followed closely it will be found that the animal is of excellent temper, docile, and easily trained to cart or plough. The setting of the head upon the strong, massive, and . moderately high, neck .ia.a . matter which experience teaches the breeder. An important point is the shoulder, which should be oblique if the long, quick step so peculiar to the type is to be attained. The upright shoulder I may give greater power in the collar, but I it also brings a short and slow step, which is by no means an advantage. A medium slanted shoulder gives a horse an advantage in the two-wheeler, where a certain proportion of the weight is borne on the back of the animal. Those who carted Lanarkshire ore in the days before the railroad would find this shoulder of great value. Good sound legs and feet, so necessary in all horses, are not undervalued in the Clydesdale For a long quick step the oblique shoulder is not sufficient, there must be also a strong forearm, broad from the side-view and carrying long, _ strong muscles to give the full power required to bring forward the part beneath. A .flat and broad kneo is every bit as essential as strength of bone beneath the knee, the too frequent striving after" which often produces a condition in whioh there is apparently no joint between the elbow and the nastern. Deficiency of bone .under the knee has been the cause of the rejection of many fine animals in show-ring and sale-yard. The shank bone should be flat from a side view, thick and gently rounded from a front view and tapering to an edge in the rear. This has been called the "razorlegged" type. Nice flowing fringe of silken hair from the knee down, springing from the very edge of the bone is a. point for which judges always look. A coarse matted appearance in the feather is a great fault. Perhaps a little too much attention is paid to the subject of hair, as horses have a tendency to lose a lot when being prepared for shows, and this often leads to the practice of "blistering," in order to strengthen the growth. The hair certainly creates a false idea of strength of bone. The sinews of the leg should be thick and strong, thrown well back from the bone and able to be easily felt witJi the hand. The lower end of the feslock should be large enough to allow thj tendons full play. This is a point many judges are particularly keen about. ■ Tlie pastern should suit the slanting Bhoulder. An upright pastern with an oblique shoulder would never allow of the heaviest pulling. (Short, upright pasterns deteriorate with age and feeding, and action thus becomes impeded very quickly. The Clydesdale must have a pastern to suit his quick, firm step —an elasticity to counteract the concussion is the chief requirement. Thus the pastern should be of a good length and moderately sloped. The short pastern lasts perhaps l 6 or 12 years on the soft ploughed land, but put a horse on a hard pavement and he is useless much sooner. On the other hand the animal with the sloped and lengthy pastern can put in several years of heavy traffic work, and is then in good demand for the farm. Without a well-shaped, strong, sound foot a horse is of little use, however, symmetrical and strong he may be in other respects. But of this little need be said, as few Ciydesdales can be accused of deficiency in this respect, unless it be duo to some accident or other abnormality. Though subject to most of the troubles and applications of the equine genus, the Clydesdale is stated by veterinary surgeons to be particularly round in the foot, and far lesa prone to side-bone and ring-bone than manv of the lighter types of cart horses. Clydesdale stallions frequently are lame from i "founder," occasioned very often by overfeeding and want of exeroise. This, how ever, is becoming so common as to arouse suspicion in soma oases of it being hereditary.