CHAPTER VIII 

 THE TYPES AND CLASSES 



THERE are four types of horses, the division being made 

 upon the basis of mechanics, each type being subdivided 

 into classes in accordance with market and show ring de- 

 mands. The four types are power, speed, show and 

 saddle. 



128. The power type. The service of the power or 

 draft horse is to move the maximum load under minimum 

 pace requirements and usually over the paved surfaces 

 of traffic congested city streets. 



Stability of equilibrium is the measure of power ; there- 

 fore, the essential features of power horse type are those 

 which contribute to or insure stability of equilibrium and 

 muscular development. Factors to the former are 

 weight, low station and breadth of body; to the latter, 

 compactness, massiveness and bone, while depth, which 

 is correlated with breadth and compactness, is a feature 

 of stamina by which continuous service is sustained. 

 The power horse (Fig. 48) should weigh from 1500 to 

 2400 pounds in order to have sufficient friction be- 

 tween his shoe and the hard surface of the street to 

 give him a secure footing. Furthermore, weight thrown 

 into the collar effectively supplements muscular exertion. 

 Low station, determined by shortness of legs, increases 

 the stability of equilibrium by bringing the center of 

 gravity as near as possible to the base of support, that 

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