JUDGING HORSES 141 



that the directness and rapidity of his stride, especially behind, 

 may be seen. Then as he comes back, or " meets you,'' note the 

 directness, rapidity, and freedom of the stride in front, the bold- 

 ness, courage, and manners displayed. As he is led past deter- 

 mine the length, the height, spring, regularity, and balance of 

 the stride, together with the placing or set of the horse in action. 

 An expert judge may seem careless of and indifferent to any 

 system, yet this very manner may have been acquired from long 

 practice, in a systematic way. 



A show ring judge should not act without good and sufficient 

 reasons. He should have the courage of his convictions and be 

 able to give a full account of the whys and wherefores of his 

 work. The Avisdom of an award appears very different to on- 

 lookers at the ring side many times, with the light of the judge's 

 reasons thrown upon it. 



Features to Consider in Judging Horses. — The features to 

 which the judge should give special consideration in making his 

 observations may be summarized as follows : 



1. General Appearance : (a) Height, (h) weight, (c) style, 

 (d) symmetry, (e) color and markings. 



2. Form: (a) Station (setting on legs), (h) width, (c) 

 depth, (d) compactness, (e) contour. 



3. Confonnation. (As outlined in Chapter II.) 



4. Quality: (a) Hide and hair, (h) bone, (c) finish, (d) 

 general refinement. 



5. Substance: (a) Proportion of weight to height, (h) bone, 

 (c) muscling. 



6. Constitution: (a) Chest and abdominal capacity, (h) 

 evidence of thrift and vigor. 



7. Condition: (a) Degree of fatness, (h) fitness for work. 



8. Way of Going. (As outlined in Chapter III.) 



9. Age: (a) Determination of, (h) significance of. 



10. Soundness: (a) Examination for, (h) importance of. 



11. Temperament and Disposition. 



SCORE CARD 



The score card consists of a word picture of the ideal horse 

 in which a numerical value is attached to each part for the pur- 



