JUDGING A HORSE 9 



on practice and experience. The type or breed to fill a 

 given demand, and the value of the horse for such pur- 

 pose, are recognized much more quickly and accurately 

 by one vi^ho is in practice judging horses than by one who 

 judges only occasionally. 



Method of judging a horse. — To examine the horse, we 

 should have him' led into an open, well-lighted place and 

 stood at ease. First, we should view him from all direc- 

 tions, noting his general appearance — form, height, 

 weight, action, quality, temperament and the like. To 

 impress these general characters the animal should be 

 moved around, first at the walk and then at the trot. 

 While in action, view him from in front, behind and either 

 side. Second, we should make a careful examination of 

 the detail characters. To facilitate this detail examina- 

 tion the score card was devised. 



In judging horses, we should learn to use our eye 

 rather than the hand. The eye is master of the situation 

 and the chief reliance with the expert judge. The hand 

 should be used only as an assistant to the eye, and rnay 

 be used when the eye unaided cannot determine a ques- 

 tion of quality, size, condition or soundness. 



THE SCORE CARD 



The score card gives, in systematic order, a detailed 

 description of the parts or characters of an ideally perfect 

 animab It emphasizes the relative importance of the 

 various characters. The score card teaches the method 

 of seeing the parts or characters in a logical, orderly way 

 that none may escape observation. It deals with one 

 animal, comparing it with an ideal. 



Purpose of the score card. — It is primarily an aid to the 

 study and teaching of stock judging. It enables us to 

 analyze the various characters of the horse in a logical 

 order. Thus, point by point, we learn to estimate the 

 value of each character that goes to make up the animal. 



