THE LIGHT-HARNESS BREEDS OF HORSES 93 



stronger-framed, fuller-muscled, of larger size, with control- 

 lable disposition, so as to be easily rated, and of remarkable 

 strength and durability. Of such is Sweet Marie. The 

 most successful blend of these two types is Cresceus, both 

 a speed marvel and a campaigner. A pen description 

 of him would embody the attributes of the best 

 type so far evolved. In general, such a horse should be 

 about sixteen hands high, upstanding, well set up, and 

 have that poise of body which horsemen refer to when 

 they say a horse is " above himself/' either standing or in 

 action. The head, proportioned evenly with the other 

 parts, is clean-cut and carried high. The neck has length 

 and is muscular, making a noticeable crest in the stallion. 

 The shoulder is deep, covered with muscle, and the chest 

 is low and only moderately wide. The fore-leg is long 

 from elbow to knee, and short from knee to fetlock. The 

 knee is wide in front and sharp behind, and the tendon 

 drops from there almost vertically to the pastern. The 

 pasterns slope nicely, and the feet, both before and behind, 

 are even in size, moderately large, and of a healthy, oily 

 color. The back is well covered with muscle and is round- 

 ing, and the swelling muscles of the loin cause it to rise 

 slightly ; those of the hindquarters make the croup plump 

 and the quarters full and deep. The leg is long from hip 

 point to hock, and short from there to the pastern. The 

 web of the hock is thin and the leg below decidedly fluted. 

 The action should be clean, quick and frictionless. Above 

 all, the disposition should be easily controllable, and yet 

 ever ready to race with zest. Good weights are 900 

 pounds for a mare and perhaps 1150 pounds for a stallion. 

 The color is not fixed, but brown and bay are very common. 

 102. Uses for racing. The Standardbred trotter 

 occupies a position about equally divided between pleas- 



