302 Effective Farming 



the neck somewhat arched, the shoulders long and sloping, 

 the body round with a broad back, the croup long and level 

 with heavy muscling, the pasterns sloping, and the feet of fair 

 size. Quality and action are of prime importance. The bone 

 must be of good texture, the hair fine and silky, the skin soft 

 and smooth, and the muscles and veins prominent. The action 

 should be smooth and high, good knee and hock action being 

 especially desirable. 



Light-harness horses. Both roadsters and speed horses are 

 included in the light-harness horse class. Roadsters have 

 endurance, good speed on the road, and are well adapted for 

 drawing light vehicles. As a type they are less uniform than 

 any of the others. A typical one, however, weighs about 

 1000 pounds and stands from 15-1 to 15-3 hands high. The 

 muscles should be prominent and the form decidedly angular. 

 The head should be lean and refined, the neck slender and of 

 good length, and the shoulders sloping. The body is usually 

 rather closely coupled and shows heavy muscles over the loins. 

 The bone should be fine in texture, the hair fine and glossy, 

 and the skin soft ; these indications of quality are essential. 

 The pasterns should slope at an angle of about 45 degrees 

 with the ground, be of good length, and show elasticity. The 

 stride should be straight and long. Speed on the road is of 

 prime importance. 



Speed horses driven in harness include both trotters and 

 pacers and they have the general conformation of roadsters. 

 Endurance and speed on the race track in such horses are, of 

 course, especially necessary. 



Saddle horses. Horses of the saddle type are used for 

 pleasure riding, racing, and hunting. They range in height 

 from 14 to 16 hands and in weight from about 850 to 1050 

 pounds. A saddle horse should be sure-footed, an easy-rider, 

 and easily controlled. In conformation it should have oblique 

 shoulders and pasterns to give spring to the action ; high, thin 

 withers to prevent the saddle from turning ; and a short back 



