THE HORSE 9 



tention should be paid in the choice of a 

 horse. 



The class of animal most likely to be required 

 by the average horse-owner is the harness horse, 

 so that in considering the various points we will 

 keep this ideal in view. In many respects the 

 harness horse requires the combined points of a 

 saddle-horse and a cart horse, and, leaving out of 

 the question exaggerated examples, such as that 

 galloping machine the race-horse, or that equine 

 giant the Percheron, we shall find that the bony 

 conformation of the one differs very little, except 

 in a minor degree, from that of the others. Such 

 differences as exist are as a rule muscular, and as 

 we go along we shall endeavor to indicate the 

 various classes of work for which each variety of 

 conformation is best suited. 



Head 

 Although the head is very much less important 

 from a working point of view than many other 

 parts of the horse, yet as it is usually the first 

 point to catch the eye, and as it is the one part 

 from which it is possible to penetrate the secret 

 of a horse's disposition and character, it is given 

 priority of consideration. The chief faults of the 



