704 



Rural School Li:.\flet. 



Lesson XI J\ 



PROPORTIONS OF A HORSE. 



By M. W. Harper. 



Purpose. — (i.) To demonstrate the correct proportions of a good 

 horse. (2.) To be able to recognize good proportions even when the 

 horse is not placed in a proper position to judge him advantageously. 



Materials. — (i.) A horse brought into the schoolyard, if possible. 

 (2.) An instrument for taking measurements which should be made as 

 follows : A piece of soft white pine two inches wide, one-half inch thick, 

 and four feet long; to one end of this, and at right angles to it, tack a 

 similar piece of pine 18 inches long; to the other end strap loosely an ordi- 

 nary carpenter's square so that it may slide back and forth. Now mark 

 off the long piece in inch lengths, beginning at the inside, as in the cut. 



<r 



-^- 



-> 



SQ 



I 

 I 

 I 

 I 



I I I I M I I M I I 



I 

 I 



I I I M M 



3 



Fic. 39. — liistrjtiiinit for measuring Iiorsrs. Four feci loiiii, eighteen 



inches icide. 



Note. — At first the teacher may think it is not zvorth the while to Jiave 

 the boys try to make the instrument for measuring horses. On further 

 consideration, hozvei'er, if 7C'ill be seoi that this might be made a useful 

 lesson in manual training. 



A horse must be in harmony with his surroundings. A light harness 

 horse, which is attractive when hitched to a light run-about, would 

 a])pear very much out-of-place if hitched to a heavy draft wagon ; 

 whereas, the ponderous drafter would seem in place when hitched to such 

 a wagon, and would apj^ear very much out-of-place when hitched to a 

 light run-about. In order to aj^preciate the beauties of a well-formed 

 and handsome animal, we must ])lace him in the surroundings in keeping 

 with himself. In this connection, the height and length o^ the horse 

 assumes some importance, as it is not an uncommon sight to see a small 

 horse hitched to a large buggy, or to see a large one hitched to a light 

 bugg}\ In either case the appearance of the horse is criticized, and yet 

 the animal may be very well-proportioned. 



It has been observed that there is a relation between the organs of the 

 horse's body. We have seen that the length of the head was almost equal 



