HORSES FOR SMALL HOLDINGS. 53 



Light Draugrht Horses — Besides the team-horse, or 

 fanii liorse projjer, a lighter and clean-legged class of horse will 

 oi'tentinies be found useful on farms and small holdings. A 

 heavy farm horse is not suitable for doino: anv cartinir work at 

 a trottii]g pace, and this kind of work requires a smnher, 

 lighter, and much more active aninial. On small holdings, 

 where there is a great deal of road work, and only a small 

 amount of tillage work to be done, light and clean-leoc^ed 

 horses belonging to the class of horses known as '' light 

 draught horses," may be of greater use than farm horses 

 proper. Of course, a light draught horse is not nearly so 

 well suited to perform tillage w^ork as an animal of the real 

 farm-horse stamp, but, oii light and shallow soil, the former 

 may answ^er all requirements in regard to tillage w^ork in a 

 sufficiently satisfactory manner. This question is one whicli 

 cannot be definitely answered one way or the other in a 

 general way : it can only be satisfactorily settled by the maii 

 on the spot, and when the circumstances of each particular 

 case are know^n. In selecting a light and clean-logged draught 

 horse, selection should be carried out on the lines laid down 

 above, in the case of farm horses proper. The various faults 

 of shape, temper, and disposition enumerated above, should 

 also be avoided in a clean-leofo-ed draught horse. In addition 

 to iiood and free-stridinof walkino- action, it is essential that 

 (lie latter should possess good trotting action. In trotting, 

 the feet should be moved along clear of the ground, so as to 

 [irevent the risk of stumbling, and the animal must not 

 brush, either in front or behind. 



Discarded 'Bus Horses of a heavy stamp wdll oftc:i 

 be found to be very useful for all-round purposes on small 

 holdings, and as odd horses on farms. As 'bus horses are not, 

 as a rule, accustomed to go between the shafts, some care inus*: 

 at first be exercised when they are put into a cart. Van 

 horses which are sold out of the studs of carriers and other 

 firms in towms, are very frequently suited to the requirements 

 of the small farmer. Either of the classes of horses just men- 

 tioned can be bought comparatively cheaply at auction sales, 



