TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 451 



Park horses. The park horse, sometimes called the gig 

 horse, is neither a large nor a small carriage horse, but is a car- 

 riage horse of medium size. Many coach and cob horses meet 

 the requirements for park horses so far as size and weight are 

 concerned, yet cannot correctly be classed as park horses. This 

 is because the park horse represents the cream of the carriage 

 horse class. He is a higher-priced horse than either the coach 

 or cob horse. He has the same conformation and action as 

 they, but his conformation is more perfect, his action higher 

 and more sensational, and his style and elegance more outstand- 

 ing. They are hitched to a cart or gig, or may be driven tandem 

 to the latter vehicle. They are also driven in pairs before mail 

 phaetons and victorias. The limits for height and weight are 

 15 to 15-3 hands and from 1000 to 1150 pounds, the most desir- 

 able height being 15-1 to 15-2 hands, and the weight from 1000 

 to 1100 pounds. It is readily apparent that the park horse is 

 difficult to produce. Some are of Trotting Horse breeding, 

 a few have been produced by crossing Hackney stallions on 

 Trotting or Thoroughbred mares, but the best are of pure Hack- 

 ney breeding; the latter method is attended by greater certainty 

 of good results than any other method of production. 



Cab horses. The cab horse is a comparatively cheap 

 horse, and the requirements are not so rigid as for coach, cob, 

 or park horses. They are used on cabs, coupes, hansoms, and 

 other vehicles for public service in cities. They are much the 

 same type as the coach horse, in fact many of them are the 

 discarded and lower grades of the coach sub-class. Cab horses 

 stand from 15-2 to 16-1 hands high, and weigh from 1050 to 1200 

 pounds. The demand comes from livery and transfer companies. 



Road Horses. 



This class includes Runabout Horses and Roadsters. Run- 

 about horses occupy an intermediate place between typical 

 roadsters and carriage horses, but on account of their action, 

 conformation, and the use to which they are put, may be more 

 properly classed as road horses. 



Runabout horses. A runabout horse is a rather short- 

 legged horse, standing from 14-3 to 15-2 hands high, and weigh- 

 ing from 900 to 1050 pounds. His head should be neat, ear 

 fine, eye large and mild, neck of good length and trim at the 

 throttle. The neck should be of medium weight, not quite 

 so heavy as that of the coach horse, and not so light and thin 



