104 



JUDGING FARM ANIMALS 



of ample size with slope in harmony with that of the front 

 foot and not too high in the sole or narrow at the heel is 

 to be desired. A length of heel equal to about one-third 

 the length of the front of hoof will usually be about right. 

 It is noteworthy, however, that the hind foot suffers com- 

 paratively little 

 from disease, and 

 gives the horseman 

 far less concern 

 than does the front 

 foot. This is due 

 to the fact that the 

 hind feet suffer 

 much less from 

 concussion and 

 hard work than the 

 front ones. The 

 scale of points, in 

 recognition of this, 

 credits the perfect 

 front feet with 

 more points than 

 the hind. In the 

 early days of the 

 use of the score 

 card in this coun- 

 try, the author 

 drew up a scale of 

 points for draft 

 horses, and submitted it for criticism to a friend whose 

 business was buying and selling horses on a large 

 scale, and who was a most capable judge. His 

 view of the relative importance of front and hind feet was 

 such that he insisted that 10 points should be creditp/" ^' fhp. 

 front and two to the hind feet. This was the poini; of vie'v 

 of a practical horseman of large experience. He argued 

 that essentially all the trouble with the feet was located in 



Fig. 54. — "The hind feet of the horse are 

 somewhat smaller than the front ones, and not 

 so round." 



