304 



FARMER'S CYCLOPEDIA OF LIVE STOCK 



useful, but need not show much speed. 

 There is always a large supply of theso 

 horses, and the market price seldom ex- 

 ceeds $100. This price obviously does 

 not justify any farmer in producing such 

 horses. 



The bus horse J s so-called from its 

 use in Europe as omnibus horses. Here 

 they are used for the same purpose to 

 a much less extent and also for express 

 and heavy delivery work. Tbe bus 

 horse stands 15.1 to 15.3 hands and 

 weighs 1,200 to 1,400 pounds. They 

 must have strong bone and sound feet. 

 The bus horse is low, blocky and of 



tion of strength. Several other points, 

 however, must be observed. The legs 

 must be strong with good bone and large 

 hock, the hoof dense and well formed, 

 loin heavy, back short. As long as the 

 strength of leg bones is proportionate, 

 the weight cannot be too great; i. e., for 

 city use. The draft horse should not 

 weigh under 1,500 pounds in good con- 

 dition, and if he weighs 1,800 to 2,000 

 pounds or more, so much the better. 

 The form is smooth and rounded, leg 

 bones flat, pasterns rather short, 

 shoulder straight, breast full, forelegs 

 rather far apart. The walk and trot 



Fig. 21 



I — THREE PRIZE- WIN XIX (! PERC HERONS 



draft form. He is really a general pur- 

 pose horse and is required to haul a con- 

 siderable load at a slow trot, but with- 

 out style. He must have a faster gait 

 than a draft horse and is by no means 

 merely an undersized draft horse. There 

 is use for considerable numbers of them 

 in our cities and the price in Chicago is 

 about $140. 



The tram horse of England is the 

 same type, but slightly lower and smaller. 



The draft horse has one function— to 

 pull heavy loads at a walk, on the farm 

 or in the city, and alone or in two to ten- 

 horse teams. Strength is the chief point 

 and within the limits of the draft type, 

 weight is the most prominent indica- 



should be easy, and the legs should move 

 straight ahead. A rolling or waddling 

 gait is objectionable. The height varies 

 from 15.3 to 17.2 hands. 



Other things being equal, every 100 

 pounds above 1,600 adds $25 to the value 

 of the horse. A well-fattened condition 

 also increases the market price of a draft 

 horse more than is the case of any other 

 class of horses. On the Chicago market 

 the average price for draft horses in 

 1904 was $177, but well-matched teams 

 of good drafters brought $1,000 and ani- 

 mals of fine quality, $350 to $600 per 

 head. 



The London van horse j s chiefly pur- 

 chased in America and is simply a good 



