386 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



Strength. This is a matter of muscling. Draft horses 

 must be very muscular throughout, especially in the hind- 

 quarters. When judging drafters, fat should not be mistaken 

 for muscle. 



Action. Action that is straight and true insures conser- 

 vation of energy and sure-footedness. The action should also 

 be snappy; this enables the animal to get over the ground rapidly, 

 and shows a willing disposition. Action is also valuable as an 

 index to the way the horse is put together; true action can result 

 only from proper placing of the feet and legs, in fact, from a 

 proper proportionment of all parts, and their proper relation 

 to one another. Correct action, showing trueness, snap, and 

 length of stride, results from a rather rare combination of proper 

 structure, muscling, and temperament. Therefore, good action 

 is not only valuable in itself, but is good evidence of merit in 

 the entire make-up of the horse. 



Endurance and durability. Endurance means the ability 

 to do the day's work without fagging. Durability means the 

 ability to work day after day without breaking down under the 

 strain. Endurance is concerned mostly with wind, muscling, 

 and feeding capacity, while durability depends mostly upon 

 the feet and legs. Some first-hand horses last but six months, 

 or even less, on city streets. Others last as long as fifteen years, 

 and, in some cases, even longer. If a draft horse goes to pieces 

 quickly when put to work, he is a considerable loss to the owner. 

 Feet and legs are the parts most liable to prove defective. Lack 

 of wind is a common fault. The horse with a short rib seldom 

 stands up to hard labor very long. Buyers refuse to invest 

 much money in horses that are shallow bodied and cut up high 

 in the flank, such animals being poor feeders. 



Feeding capacity. The horse is comparable to a locomo- 

 tive. He consumes hay and grain for fuel. Other things being 

 equal, the greater the amount of fuel consumed, the greater the 

 work that can be done. The drafter should be a good feeder. 



Disposition. To be of great usefulness, a draft horse must 

 be a prompt, willing worker that will be pleasant to handle, 

 active, and quick to respond to commands, yet quiet and docile. 



DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE TYPE. 



General appearance. The form of the draft horse is low 

 set, broad, deep, massive, compact, symmetrical, and stylish. 

 He should have a short back and a long underline. He must 



