466 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



best of manners, (5) knowledge of the gaits, (6) endurance and dura- 

 bility, and (7) dark solid color. 



1. Beauty of conformation. — Attractiveness of form and action 

 is almost, if not quite, as valuable in the saddle horse as in the carriage 

 horse. People who ride for pleasure take as much pride in the owner- 

 ship of an attractive animal as do the owners of carriage horses. 



2. Sure-footedness. — Saddle action must, first of all, be safe and 

 sure. A horse inclined to stumble is dangerous and cannot be highly- 

 valued for saddle purposes. 



3. Comfortable seat. — Though a horse be sure-footed, he will not 

 be of much use or value for saddle work unless he gives his rider a 

 pleasant ride. Rough-gaited horses are not useful saddle horses. 



4. Manners. — The intimate relation between horse and rider 

 calls for the very best of manners. Conduct that would be tolerated 

 from a horse in harness may be very disagreeable if the horse is under 

 saddle. The very nature of the use to which the saddler is put makes 

 manners one of the prime essentials. 



5. Knowledge of gaits. — To a considerable extent the value of 

 the saddle animal is measured by his knowledge of the gaits. As this 

 is largely a matter of training, it is placed fifth in the list of require- 

 ments. There must be no mixing of gaits; each gait must be distinct, 

 and the horse should change gaits promptly and easily at the signal 

 from the rider. 



6. Endurance and durability. — This implies a good middle and 

 enough substance combined with quality of bone and joints to insure 

 good wearing qualities. 



7. Color. — Dark colors are much preferred, including bay, brown, 

 chestnut, and black. Flashy colors such as dapple gray, roan, dun, 

 cream, white, and parti-color are too conspicuous for ordinary saddle 

 use. 



DESCRIPTION OF SADDLE TYPE 



Size and weight. — These are quite variable depending on the 

 character of the work and the weight of the rider. The height is usually 

 from 15-1 to 15-3 hands, and the weight from 1,000 to 1,150 pounds. 

 For the purpose of comparison the heights and weights of the various 

 sub-types of saddle horses are here given: 



Type Height Weight 



Five gaited 15 —16 900—1,200 



Three gaited 14-3—16 900—1,200 



Hunter 15-2—16-1 1,000—1,250 



Cavalry 15 —16 950—1,200 



Polo pony 14 —14-2 850—1,000 



Conformation. — The saddle horse is considered by many people 

 to be the most stylish, beautiful, and finished of all horses. The princi- 



