18 THE HORSE 



less than in the thoroughbred, it should be free 

 from undue fleshiness, clean and elegant in outline, 

 and so set on as to give a clean-cut throttle. In 

 other words, as a good point is a good one and a 

 bad point a bad one, the same standard must al- 

 ways be used — but applied in such a way as to 

 conform to the modifications that always exist 

 in different types and breeds. 



To follow the subject a little further (for it is 

 a vitally important one) the plea for an abate- 

 ment in certain respects of the requirements for 

 equine perfection is most often heard in connec- 

 tion with draft-horses. These animals, it is 

 urged, serve a different purpose from driving 

 stock and therefore, if they are only large and 

 strong and smooth, a considerable departure from 

 the embodiment of the points we have named makes 

 very little difference. This has not been my ex- 

 perience. As a breeder for many years of both 

 road and draft stock, I have found that the latter, 

 no less than the former, brought the best prices 

 when, apart from the distinguishing marks of 

 their breed, they possessed the greatest number of 

 points of general equine excellence. They were 

 handsomer — and beauty always sells. 



As the manager of large stables belonging to 

 the city of New York, I observed constantly that 

 those of our horses which had the best points — 



