The State guard., 1847-08-10

llttie suspected from Weakness in the back. But observe, those that cut from natural cause, ei- ther behind or before, never re- ceive any permanent benefit from an alteration in shoeing, which method of remedy unayoldably curtails the natural size, and al teIs the natural shape of the foot, and not only does not remove the imperfection, but, if persist ed in, occasions lameness in ad ditioa. Pallialions are, however, often possible.
 The horses that dish the foot outwards never cut their fore legs, and though some judges do not consider such method of go- ing to be perfect action, is by no means always very objectiona- ble.
 It is particularly desirable that ahorse in all his paoes be quick stopper, and that he go very light Iy with all his fore legs, they hit the ground hard with their hind legs, or, to use a horse dealers phrase, which is, of course great ly exaggerated in expression, he ought to strike hard with his hind legs and tread on eggs with out breaking them with his fore ones.
 Horses with quick, light action, seldom wear their legs out, il they are not used when too young, which will ruin any horse, and the reason.of their lasting is, that they do not hammer the ground, and shake themselves to pieces, which heavy, slow nov CTS do, but going free of all con cussion, they do their work with out detriment to themselves and with pleasure to their riders.
 But action is in a degree re- ferable to the position and make of the shoulders. For example, in the first place, when the shoul- ders are low and upright, the weight the animal carries it di- rectly upon his fore legs, it is not then to be wondered at, that he experiences difficulty in using them lightly-and as instead of being from him, they stand quite under him, he has equal difficult ty in putting them forward. lie is therefore evidently more liable to stumble, and when he does trip, the load he carries being more forward than his fore legs, prevents him recovering himself, and down he comes !-When the shoulders arc themselves load ed at top, as we'll as upright, there is a double imperlection, for then there is a natural weight, as well as the artificial weight, and when they are loaded at the points they occasion great llcav- mess of action, and if the ani ual is a high soer, he hits the ground so much the more Iorci- bly,, the objection to which has been already stated! Horses wish bad shoulders may go well for short time, but after six or seven miles journey, they begin to make mistakes, and as their shape is not calculated for moye- ment, so their action cannot con- tinue.
 Though the fore legs, from their situation, must always bear the greatest portion of weight, yet when the shoulders lie back, more of the weight is communi- cated with the spine, and being thus removed from the fore legs, they have less impediment for motion, and their position being then forward, is naturally more favorable to the office they have to perform, for the slope of a horses shoulder may be called the measure of his stride.
 Good action may be considered as equivalent to strength. This is confirmed by the fact that mt ny horses with good action are seldom found to give way, even carrying the same weight.