900 



THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



own ideas, and to give them the relative importance which he con- 

 siders they ought to have. The following is the scheme we use 011 

 competition committees when we deal with horses already grouped by 

 categories, according to their height, weight, and age. 



EXAMPLE OF NOTES. 



Coefficients. Marks. 



Conformation 



/ General 



I Details (members, body, head) 



1 4 



1 4 



Equilibrium 1 5 



Gaits 1 5 



Race and endurance 1 4 



Trial, disposition, docility, dressing '. .- 1 1 



Number of notes 6 23 



Aptitudes resulting from the average (total of the points divided by six) . 3.83 



NOTE. The scale of marks which we employ to note each subject is from to 5 r 

 but it can be modified at will. We reject every horse that does not obtain the average 

 of 3. If many horses are to be judged, it is well to take down the information in a 

 note-book having, for example, the following formula : 



MODEL OF PURCHASE MEMORANDUM-BOOK. 



To simplify and hasten the evaluation of any horse whatsoever, 

 Professor Tabourin, 1 in 1877, devised for beginners a system of nota- 

 tion the essential character of which was the estimating in figures of 

 the beauties of some regions only, considered as of predominant impor- 

 tance, deducing from the sum total of the marks obtained an estimate 

 of the general value of the animal. 



Professor Baron 2 has recently attempted to revive the same idea, 

 under the name method of judging by marks, but with a much more 



1 Tabourin, La connaissance ext6rieure du cheval rSduite a l'<tude d'un petit nombre de 

 caracteres. Methode synthStique a 1'aide de laquelle on petit juger de la valeur d'un cheval 

 expose en vente, pour la forme et pour le fond; in Recueil de medecine vete>inaire, 1877, pp. 710 

 et843. 



2 R. Baron, Appreciation de la vache laitiere par la m6thode des points, in Recueil de mede- 

 cine vetrinaire, 1888. p. 797. Extension et generalisation complete de la methode des points, in 

 Recueil de medecine veterinaire, 1889, pp. 33, 105, 185, 262, 326, et 379. 



