BREEDS OF HORSES 37 



FARM CHUNKS. 



Horses of this type may be found on the market at all seasons 

 of the year, but during the spring months they form an important 

 feature" of the trade. They are bought to be used on the farm and 

 are in most urgent need during the season when crops are being 

 planted. They are usually of mixed breeding, draft blood pre- 

 dominating and commonly known among farmers as all purpose 

 horses. Mares are more generally taken than geldings. 



Conformation, Height and Weight. For this class low down 

 blocky horses are wanted, not so heavy as the eastern Chunks. 

 Farm Chunks are usually lighter in bone and often slightly blem- 

 ished or unsound. Since farmers do not usually care to pay for 

 high priced horses they are often compelled to accept those with 

 slight injuries such as small side bones, curbs, wire marks, etc. 

 In general the typical Farm Chunk should be a moderate sized, all- 

 round good individual, standing from 15 to 15-3 hands high and 

 weighing from 1200 to 1400 pounds. 



Action. Being lighter horses than the Eastern Chunks they 

 should be a little quicker and more active on foot. The varied 

 use to which horses are put on the farm requires that they be able to 

 trot readily if necessary. However, since the walk is their most im- 

 portant gait, they should be good walkers and do it with ease and 

 rapidity when drawing a load. 



Demand. Farm Chunks are in strongest demand during the 

 spring months of February, March, and April. During the re- 

 mainder of the year they are slower sale and some of the better 

 grades having heavy bone are sold as Wagon Horses. 



SOUTHERN CHUNKS. 



Southern Chunks or as they are termed in some markets, 

 Southern horses, or Southerns are small horses that are bought by 

 dealers for the southern markets, many of them going to Memphis, 

 Tennessee; Jacksonville, Florida; Atlanta, Georgia; Richmond and 

 Norfolk, Virginia, and other large southern towns. They are used 

 by southern planters for tilling their lands and for driving and 

 riding. The southern farmer does not cultivate deeply and the soils 

 are light consequently he does not require very large horses; how- 

 ever, each year the trend of the market is for larger horses for this 

 trade. 



Conformation, Height, and Weight. Southern Chunks are 

 small horses standing from 15 to 15-3 hands high and weighing 

 from 800 to 1250 pounds. They are rather fine of bone possessing 

 an abundance of quality, and are more rangy in conformation than 

 any of the other Chunks, having more of the light horse blood. 

 The head should be rather small and neat, and the neck long and 

 slender, the ribs well sprung, giving a round barrel, and neatly 

 turned over the hips and croup. Many of them are similar to the 

 cheaper horses used on the light delivery wagons of cities. Buyers 

 for the best grades of Southern horses are very particular to get 

 sound, shapely, voung horses of the very best quality, and not 

 over six years old. Some horses in the common and inferior 



