406 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



or very slightly incurving. Roughness or coarseness of bone 

 about this joint, puffiness, or meatiness are looked upon with 

 suspicion as indicating weakness. The cannons, both front 

 and rear, as viewed from the side, should be broad and flat, 

 with the grooves between the cannon bone and tendons easily 

 seen and felt. The broad, flat appearance results when the 

 tendons are placed well back from the bone, and when the legs 

 are free from meatiness. Smooth, hard, flinty bone and clean 

 tendons are necessary. Straight, strong fetlock joints are 

 essential. The front pasterns should slope at an angle of about 

 45 degrees, and be long enough to give elasticity of stride, yet 

 show sufficient substance to insure strength. Proper position 

 of the legs is of greater importance in this type than in draft 

 horses. So much of the value of the horse depends upon action, 

 and so much of action depends upon proper position of the legs 

 and feet, that great attention should be given to this point. 

 The legs must come straight down and the toes point straight 

 ahead, to insure true action. 



Feet. The size of the foot should be proportionate to 

 the size of the horse. Roundness and size of hoof-head, width 

 at the heels, and height at both heel and toe are important. 

 The discussion regarding the sole, bars, frog, denseness of horn, 

 etc., as given in .connection with draft horse type, applies here 

 with equal force. 



Action. The requirements of action in the carriage horse 

 are (1) trueness, (2) height, (3) length of stride, (4) collection, 

 (5) elasticity, (6) boldness and power, (7) gracefulness of move- 

 ment, and (8) moderate speed. The walk must be snappy, 

 quick, and business-like to a marked degree. But it is at the 

 trot that action is wholly revealed. The flight of each foot 

 must be straight and true. The fore foot should be carried 

 forward and high up, as if following the rim of a rolling wheel, 

 and the stride should be long. The foot meets the ground 

 easily and without apparent jar, in fact, the step appears elastic, 

 and the meeting with the ground seems to send the foot on 

 again as though it were made, of rubber. The foot, pastern, 

 cannon, and forearm cannot accomplish this alone. There must 

 also be freedom of action of the arm and shoulder. Every 

 movement must show grace and style, and the whole attitude 

 of the horse should be one of combined courage and power. 



Proper folding of the knee meets only half of the require- 

 ment. Associated with this, there should be a decided flexing 



