Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



445 



Color. — It is commonly said that a good horse cannot have a bad 

 color. By this is meant that color is disregarded if the horse suits 

 otherwise. Some colors, however, are very generally disliked, and still 

 other colors are not liked by some persons. For instance, duns, flea- 



>= '-:^ 



Fig. 168. — Before and after fattening. A gelding fattened by B. E. Car- 

 michael of the Ohio Experiment Station. Fattening shortened the hi ck. fil'ed out 

 the coupling, smoothed the hips, lengthened and levelled the croup, rounded out the 

 middle, gave crest to the neck, transformed his angular lines into pleasing curves, 

 and changed his worried expression of eye and ear to one of contentment, alertness, 

 and spirit. The feet and legs, however, are not improved during the fattening period. 



It might be assumed from these pictures that fat will transform the head, neck, 

 and entire top of a horse from inferior to excellent. However, when fat this gelding 

 does not have the big middle which a fat horse should have, neither does he show 

 just the right lines and proportions. It is difficult to recognize the merits of a thin 

 animal, and it is almost as difficult to see the faults of a fat one. The above pictures 

 strikingly illustrate these facts. 



