FARM ANIMALS 5 



at a slow gait. The gait, however, depends 

 somewhat on the size of the draft horse and the 

 purpose to which he is put. The draft horse 

 proper, as a recognized market class, should 

 stand about 16 hands high. From a mechanical 

 standpoint the limit of height of such horse 

 should be 17.3 hands since exceptionally tall 

 draft horses are usually weak in some other 

 points of their conformation. The light type of 

 draft horse may range from 15.3 to 16.2 hands. 

 The draft horse should weigh at least 1000 pounds 

 and for heavy use each additional 100 pounds 

 they weigh will add nearly $25 to the value of 

 the horse. The weight limit is not a definite 

 matter and for certain uses the heavier the horse 

 the better. According to Alexander a grade Shire 



gilding weighing 2210 pounds brought $660 on the 

 hicago market in 1904. Draft horses should 

 show comparatively short legs, smooth form 

 without angularity, strong legs with wide hocks 

 and knee joints, and regular, sloping pasterns. 

 The walking gait is the most important gait of 

 the draft horse and should be a rapid stride 

 with straight leg movement, that is, all the legs 

 should move forward in a straight line and should 

 not show any lateral movement or waddling. 



From the class of drafters there are many culls 

 or defective specimens which go to make up other 

 poorly defined classes. For example, lumbermen 

 require a draft horse of great strength but since 

 these horses are used in the woods slight blemishes 

 do not count much against their value provided 

 they do not interfere with the work or action of 

 the horse. The draft horse therefore with good 

 strength and good points but slightly blemished 

 may be sold to lumbermen as loggers. Such 



