IOO HINTS ON SELECTION, CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF HORSES. 



furnished with powerful muscles. In the race horse, the propelling 

 power comes from the rear, and a greater mistake could not be made 

 than to select for running, a horse at all deficient in these parts, no mat- 

 ter how fully he might fill the judgment in other respects. The legs must 

 have some length, and here may be added double caution as to their qual- 

 ity; not a particle of surplus flesh or fat should be apparent, and joints in 

 particular must be closely knit together. The English government has 

 a set of rules for the use of those who select horses for cavalry service, 

 and we insert them here; they are called " Points for Rejection," but 

 will answer equally well as points for selection : 



" Reject a horse whose fore-legs are not straight; they will not stand wear. Stand 

 behind the horse as it walks away from you, and you will be able to notice these defects, if 

 they exist. 



" Reject a horse that is light below the knee, especially if immediately below the 

 knee ; the conformation is essentially weak. 



" Or a horse with long, or short or upright pasterns; long pasterns are subject to 

 sprains; short or upright pasterns make a horse unpleasant to ride, and on account of ex- 

 tra concussions, are apt to cause ossific deposits. 



" Or a horse with toes turned in or out. The twist generally occurs at the fetlock. 

 Toes turned out are more objectionable than toes turned in. When toes turn out the fet- 

 locks are generally turned in, and animals so formed are very apt to cut or brush. Both, 

 however, are weak formations. 



" Reject a horse whose hind legs are too far behind; good propelling power will be 

 wanting, and disease as a result may be expected in the hocks. And a horse which <^oes 

 either very wide or very close behind, and one with very straight or very bent hocks; the 

 former cause undue concussion; the latter are apt to give way, 



" Reject a horse that is ' split-up' that is, shows much daylight between the thighs; 

 propelling power comes from behind, and must be deficient in horses without due muscu- 

 lar development between the thighs. 



" Reject a horse with flat or over large feet, or with very small feet; medium sized 

 are best. 



" Also, a horse with one foot smaller than another." 



Concerning mental aptitude and physical conformation as related 

 to selection of the horse for speed at certain gaits, we insert herewith 

 the major portion of an article on " The Development of the American 

 Trotter- A Study in Animal Physics", prepared by the author, read June 

 14, 1892, before the Texas Academy of Science, and printed in the 

 "Transactions" of the Academy: 



* * * * In the development of our own peculiar breeds, the 

 American Trotter, the pacer and the American saddle horse, we have 

 proved two things: First, that artificial gaiting may be made permanent 

 and become transmissible, or subject to the laws of heredity; and sec- 

 ond, that by solution of the gaiting problem the new world has suc- 

 ceeded where the old world always failed, save in the single instance of 

 the Russian Orloff a breed in no way equaling that finished product 

 of the breeder's art, the American Trotter. Besides a feeling of pride 

 in the fact that our breeders have succeeded beyond their most sanguine 



