CHAPTER XXIV 
FITTING HORSES FOR SHOW AND SALE 
Horses may be well bred but they must be well fed, 
fitted and shown in order to receive the recognition that 
they deserve. In addition to bettering the appearance 
of the individuals, the practice of properly fitting and 
showing animals is a custom which the public expects. 
The majority of people are not able to recognize the 
real value of a horse if he is thin in flesh, and even 
those that do recognize this value feel that their expert 
knowledge entitles them to buy for less than the true 
value. 
FATTENING 
The most important point to be considered in the prep- 
aration of horses for market is to have them properly 
fattened. Many breeders keep their horses until they 
are ready to sell them, and then turn them to the first 
buyer that comes along, regardless of whether they are 
fat or not. Many horse buyers, however, will not buy 
horses if they are thin, regardless of the price. If they 
do buy them, they will not pay the price they would 
otherwise. Horses should have at least fat enough to 
give them a smooth appearance and considerable weight. 
Experiments show that the value in the weight of a horse 
above 1600 pounds is worth from 25 to 50 cents a pound, 
and as this weight will cost but 8 to 11 cents a pound 
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