CHOOSING A HOBSS 33 



desirable qualities, such as temperament, conformation, and 

 soundness. 



Quality among heavy horses is as essential as among light 

 ones, and the evidences are the same — clean-cut features, soft 

 skin, silky hair, and clean, dense bone. The lines of the face 

 will not be as clearly defined nor the veins in the skin show as 

 prominently as in the light type. Quality is determined in the 

 same way, and in running the hand over the cannon the bone 

 should be flat, firm, and free from roughness and the tendons 

 should stand out distinct from the bone. Among draft horses 

 the mistake is sometimes made of considering small bone to be an 

 indication of quality, which should be guarded against, as small 

 bone is a very undesirable feature in a draft horse. 



Detail characters of heavy horses 



In considering the characters in detail among heavy horses 

 the same general order should be followed as in the lighter 

 types, in order that no character go unobserved. Only the 

 differences are here pointed out, and those characters that are 

 the same in both types are omitted. 



The head should be lean and of medium size. The heads of 

 draft horses are as a rule larger, fuller, and coarser proportion- 

 ately than in the light type. Many of the breeds of draft 

 horses have a characteristic Roman nose. The assertion is often 

 made that small nostrils is associated with a Roman nose, and 

 consequently the respiratory or breathing organs lack develop- 

 ment ; also that animals with very prominent Roman noses are 

 self-willed. Both statements seem to lack sufficient evidence, 

 and the opinion may owe its origin to a few observations made 

 on Standard-bred animals. The nostrils, eyes, jaws, and ears 

 should be observed as among light horses. 



The neck should be short, strongly muscled, and massive. A. 

 well-arched neck is preferred. The neck of a draft horse is 

 more horizontal than in horses of speed. 



