524 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



horn is, however, popular with many horsemen. The hoof-head should be 

 prominent, heels wide, strong, not to close to the ground. The sole should 

 be sightly concave, not markedly convex or flat; the frog large, healthy, 

 elastic free from deep cleft, bars prominent. Small, brittle, flat, weak, 

 low-heeled or great, spongy, soft, brittle feet as well as those that are 

 notably unsound should be avoided in selecting breeding horses. 



Chest.- — The chest should be of sufficient size, depth and width to give 

 ample capacity for accommodation and free action of the lungs and heart. 

 Large girth back of the elbows generally indicates such capacity, endur- 

 ance, vigor and easy keeping qualities. The reverse conformation is 

 objectionable in all horses. Great width of chest, with the fore legs set 

 too far out, causes rolling motion and is objectionable. Width of chest 

 should be accompanied by properly laid shoulders, arms and elbows so 

 that the action is unimpeded and straight. 



Rihs. — It is highly important that the ribs should be well sprung so 

 that the digestive organs shall have ample room. A round, deep barrel 

 bespeaks good digestive capacity and means strength of constitution and 

 ability for hard work if the body is deeply and evenly clothed with 

 muscle. The last ribs should be deep and come close up to the hip con- 

 stituting a close "coupling." With this conformation goes a low carried 

 flank, indicating an easy keeper. The reverse — long, weak, washy, shallow 

 coupling — indicates poor keeping qualities, tendency to scour, constitu- 

 tional debility. 



Back.. — The draft horse should have a short, wide, thick, strong, 

 straight back giving room for attachment of large, powerful muscles and 

 given its size and shape not only by spring of rib but development of the 

 muscles alluded to. 



Loins. — What has been said of the back equally applies to the loins. 

 In stallions a weak low back will be apt to grow more pronounced in its 

 weakness with age and service. In mares the back is naturally longer but 

 should be strongly supported at the coupling and deep in flank. 



Hips. — There is great diversity of form in the hips of draft horses. On 

 general principles it may be said that all drafters should have wide 

 strong muscled hips, free from prominent angles, smooth and neither too 

 straight nor too drooping in croup. The straight or level croup is 

 characteristic of the thoroughbred horse and his coss-bred descendants. 

 In draft horses the very steep, drooping croup, probably faces to the old 

 black horse of Flanders. It is highly objectionable as it allows less space 

 for the attachment of the powerful muscles of the hind quarters and is 

 very often associated with slouchy action of the hind legs which are 

 advanced too far under the body when in motion. The amount of muscle 

 upon the croup is however of even more importance than the degree of 

 slope of the part. Groat development of muscle in every direction is abso- 

 lutely necessary at this part of the fraime in every draft horse and the 

 same statement applies to the thighs and quarters which should be sim- 

 ilarly well supplied with muscle. The tail should be well set and carried, 

 strong, well haired, free from sores and without tumors (melanosis) on 

 under side and about auns. 



