446 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



bitten grays, white horses, very light grays, and spotted horses are 

 universally discounted, either because they are hard to groom, hard 

 to match, or because the color is unsightly. Dark colors, such as dark 

 or steel gray, dark dappled gray, dark bay, dark brown, dark chestnut, 

 dark roan, and black, are given preference. Dark dappled grays are 

 well liked by buyers, and some firms will accept no other color because 

 the flash gray color attracts attention to their turnouts. It is not 

 uncommon for business houses to adopt some color as a sort of trade- 

 mark, on account of the advertising value. However, color is of less 

 importance in draft horses than in any other type. This is true be- 

 cause the drafter is a business horse, whereas other types are valued 

 mostly for pleasure purposes. 



Weight for age. — Draft horses that are properly fed and cared for 

 usually reach at least 50 per cent of their matured weight at 12 months 

 of age; 75 per cent at 24 months; 85 per cent at 36 months; 95 per cent 

 at 48 months; and 100 per cent at 60 months. On this basis the horse 

 that is to weigh a ton at maturity should weigh not less than 1,000 

 pounds at 12 months, 1,500 pounds at 24 months, 1,700 pounds at 36 

 months, 1,900 pounds at 48 months, and 2,000 pounds at 60 months. 

 These are general averages. Variations will occur depending on feed, 

 care, breed, sex, and individual. Belgians and Percherons mature 

 somewhat earlier than Shires and Clydesdales. Mares and geldings 

 mature quicker than stallions, but do not as a rule make as heavy 

 weights at maturity. Some highly-fed colts and fillies make the 

 weights mentioned at 12 and 24 months and then stop growing so soon 

 that they fall considerably below a ton at maturity. This is especially 

 true of yearlings and two-year-olds that have a compact, low-set form 

 and finished appearance like a mature horse, instead of the growthy, 

 rugged appearance characteristic of youngsters that ultimately reach 

 real draft horse size and weight. 



