QUALITY IN HORSES 5 



very imperfect indeed, so that it is difficult to 

 understand why some horsemen think there is any 

 relationship between "quality" and conformation. 



A high degree of "quality" is apt to be asso- 

 ciated with defects, so that one might almost state 

 that a horse can have too much quality. Size, or 

 more correctly, substance, is strength, other 

 things being equal. A horse with a high degree 

 of quality may be so lacking in substance as to 

 impair his power for the performance of work or 

 for severe tests of endurance or speed. He may 

 be so light-limbed that he cannot stand the "wear 

 and tear" of hard work and remain practically 

 sound. We often find horses that are superfine 

 with disproportionately small feet, and every ex- 

 perienced horseman knows that it is seldom that 

 such horses do much work and remain sound. A 

 horse, however, cannot have too much "quality," 

 providing it is combined with sufficient substance 

 for the purpose for which he is required. A high 

 degree of "quality" and sufficient substance are 

 most important attributes in contributing to per- 

 fection in horseflesh. 



There are many every-day evidences of the ill 

 consequences of deficient quality in horseflesh. 

 You hear a horseman say that a horse has soft 

 legs, and he points out an individual inclined to 

 fill about the skin of the fetlocks, to show wind- 

 galls which extend up the sheaths of his back- 



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