480 Types and Market Classes of Live Stock 



Action has been fully discussed in preceding chapters. We have 

 seen that the requirements vary according to the type of horse, and that 

 action is always a very important item of value, in some instances being 

 as important a factor as any in determining the value of the horse. 



Age. — Horses sell best from five to eight years old. Heavy horses, 

 such as drafters and chunks, sell best from five to seven years old, but 

 a well-matured four-year-old in good condition will find ready sale. 

 Carriage, saddle, and road horses sell better with a little more age, 

 because they do not mature so early and their education is not com- 

 pleted as soon as that of heavy horses. They are most desired from 

 five to eight years old. 



Color. — As a rule, the color of horses is of secondary importance, 

 provided they possess individual excellence. Previous discussions of 

 the various types have shown that color is of more importance in 

 pleasure horses than in those used for business and utility purposes. 



Training and disposition. — Every class calls for a horse of good 

 disposition and well educated for his work. Mere "greenness" in a 

 drafter, however, does not affect the price much if he is free from vice 

 and bad habits, but carriage and saddle horses must be thoroughly 

 schooled in order to realize good values. 



Sex is not of great importance in the market. However, geldings 

 sell better than mares for city use, as there is some liability of mares 

 being in foal, and if not, the recurrence of heat is objectionable. For 

 farm use and southern trade, mares are preferred, because farmers buy 

 horses with the expectation of breeding them. 



The breed to which a horse belongs has but little or no influence 

 upon his market value as long as he has individual excellence. 



Style and freshness.— If able to shape themselves well in harness, 

 very plain horses often make a stylish showing, and this increases their 

 value materially. They should be spirited and energetic, which gener- 

 ally comes from being well fed. They should be well groomed, the 

 hair being short and sleek, lying close to the body, and possessing a 

 luster which indicates health. Clipping of the foretop and legs should 

 not be practiced in the case of heavy horses, as it is an indication of 

 staleness or second-hand horses. The presence of the foretop and 

 feather leaves no doubt as to freshness from the country. The feet 

 should be in good condition and of a good length hoof, which is neces- 

 sary to hold a shoe. 



Breeders make no real effort to supply some of the market classes 

 of horses, either because the demand is very limited or the price too 

 small. Such classes are supplied by careless breeding, by the mixing 

 of types, and by the misfits which result even when the breeding of 

 horses is conducted as carefully as possible. 



