HORSES AND MULES 



347 



stomach. The prevailing practice among good horsemen is to 

 give water both before and after feeding. This insures the tak- 

 ing of water in moderate quantities and prevents gorging. It 

 is unsafe to water horses while they are heated. 



452. Market classes of horses. The leading horse and mule 

 markets of the United States are at Chicago, St. Louis, Kansas 

 City, Omaha, Buffalo, and Boston. Among the classes which 

 are found on these markets are draft horses, farm horses, 



FIG. 176. The points in judging the foot of a horse 



A, bottom of a regular forehoof; ff, a contracted foot; C, too-wide position; /?, too- 

 narrow position ; E, ring building as the result of chronic founder ; F, side view of an 

 upright foot ; G, side view of a normal hoof ; H, side view of sloping toe and low heel 



express horses, carriage horses, saddle horses, army horses, and 

 Southern horses. 



To sell best on the market, horses should possess quality, strong 

 conformation, and good disposition. They should be fat first, 

 because they look better and are ready to go into hard work, 

 and second, because buyers take a fat horse as evidence of his 

 good feeding quality and perfect health. Dark, solid colors are 

 preferred. Each year large numbers of horses are sold as 

 "misfits" because they do not belong to any particular class. 

 Such misfits must be sold at a low price. In judging horses 

 at the market many points of good or bad quality are considered. 

 A few of these points with the associated quality are shown in 

 Figs. 165 and 173-176. 



