CHAPTER SIXTEEN 



CONFORMATION AND ACTION 



IN the horse shows an exhibitor, except in the 

 Thoroughbred classes, is not required to furnish 

 the pedigrees of his horses. The judges, therefore, 

 decide entirely on conformation and action. 

 These two things are what make or unmake the 

 excellence of the individual animal. A well- 

 formed horse is apt to have good action. Some- 

 times this is not so, just as sometimes a woman 

 may have beauty of form and feature and lack 

 animation, vivacity, and that infinite variety and 

 sympathy which recently we have accustomed 

 ourselves to call temperament. Good conforma- 

 tion in a horse, however, is the advantage which 

 conduces to good action. When action and con- 

 formation supplement, adjust, and confirm each 

 the other, we have what may be called an approach 

 to the ideal horse. I have never seen the ideal horse ; 



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