CHAPTER V 

 THE CLASSES OF HORSES 



Basis of Class Distinctions. — The characters upon the basis 

 of which class distinctions are made are height, weight, form, 

 quality, substance, condition, temperament, manners, and color. 



Height. — The stature at the highest point of the withers, 

 measured in hands, four inches to the hand. Fractions of the 

 hand are expressed in inches, as 15 hands, 2 inches or 15-2. 



Weight. — Height and weight combined determine scale, 

 which is synonymous with size. 



Form. — That general contour of outline which determines 

 whether a. horse is smoothly turned or angiilar, massive or lithe, 

 low set or rangy. 



Quality. — That which refers to the texture and finish, as 

 determined by the character of the individual units of structure. 

 Quality is indicated in hide and hair, bone and general refine- 

 ment. 



Substance. — That which refers to the amount of the struct- 

 ural material, as determined by the number and size of the indi- 

 vidual units of stiiicture. 



Condition. — Not so much the state of health as that which 

 comes as a result of fitting. In the ordinary market horse it is 

 the difference between being fat and thin, while in the race 

 horse it suggests the trained, as against the untrained. 



Temperament. — A horse may be too hot to Avork or too cold 

 for a race horse. 



Manners. — It has already been stated that a horse's value is 

 materially influenced by what he can do. It is essential that he 

 should do all, and that as well as he can. Manners, therefore, 

 " count '' in the value to users of all horses. 



Color. — Color has much to do in determining a horse's class 

 value. A good horse is said never to have a bad color, yet certain 

 colors are preferred or even required in some classes of horses 

 where other colors are undesirable or even prohibited. 



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