CORRECT ACTION IN HORSES 



While it is the intention of this article to en- 

 deavor to picture ideally good action, by which 

 wear and tear and loss of power are reduced to a 

 minimum, it is not intended to decry the pos- 

 session for certain purposes, by a horse, of what 

 is usually called high action. To render horses 

 attractive for show and for pleasure purposes 

 it is a highly desirable quality and very much 

 increases their market value. The good horse- 

 man would much prefer, however, to sit behind a 

 horse with moderate action, that raises his feet, 

 advances them in a straight line with stride 

 enough to insure desirable progress — ^yet not so 

 much that the feet cannot be put down squarely — 

 every part bearing its proper proportion of 

 weight and striking the ground lightly, than one 

 with excessive but markedly defective action. 

 High action, like other qualities possessed in a 

 high degree, is very apt to be associated with de- 

 fects that detract from its perfection and lessen 

 a horse's wearing quality. The ill-consequences 

 of these defects are intensified in direct ratio to 



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