THE P E R C H E R O N R E \' I E W 
owner studied for a moment, and then frankly 
replied, "No. They could identify some of them, 
but there are a number here which they could not 
satisfactorily pass upon, even with the assistance of 
the pedigrees." I then called his attention to the fact 
that in such case it would in all probability be neces- 
sary to sell a number of them as grades. He real- 
ized the necessity of a positive system of iden- 
tification so fully that he decided to adopt the 
hoof-branding system. This is the one most 
generally used, but is not especially satisfactory. 
22 
have been characteristic of the breed's best ma- 
trons. That unconquerable vitality is responsible 
for much of the breed's popularity in America, 
where courage and efficiency are so generally ad- 
mired. 
Besides his aggressive disposition, the present 
popularity of the Percheron depends much on the 
persistence of the old-time useful form. Observa- 
tion and experience have proved that the most 
utility and endurance are accompanied by fairly 
good height and bold carriage. We should exercise 
care that the height is not increased by length of 
leg alone. Proper depth of body must be main- 
tained. Quality of bone, tendons and joints, slope 
of pasterns and depth of feet are receiving more 
general attention. Photographs of the prominent 
stallions and mares of the present day resemble 
portraits of those whose excellence of pattern and 
accomplishments brought early prominence to the 
breed. They weigh heavier now, and doubtless 
they can pull more. Size has been gained, quality 
is being preserved. The Percheron type is not 
changing, but is being focused about a certain 
standard which indicates increased utility, greater 
value and positive progress. A. L. Robison. 
By courtesy of Breeder's Gazette. 
September 10, 1914 
Permanent Marks for Purebred Horses 
A large proportion of the trouble in deals involving 
purebred horses has hinged upon the identification 
of the animals. The rapid changes in conformation 
and color in the case of Percheron colts make some 
positive system of identification extremely important. 
This is more necessary because many colts are simply 
plain grays or blacks, without any distinguishing 
marks of permanent character. A man who has 
eight or ten gray Percheron yearlings is liable to 
have four or five colts so closely alike in color, size 
and conformation that it is well-nigh impossible 
to distinguish them unless they bear some perma- 
nent marks of identification placed on them by the 
breeder or owner. 
Numerous specific instances of the need of such 
identification marks have come to my notice, but 
two illustrations will suffice. A breeder owning six- 
teen or seventeen Percherons had a number of year- 
lings and two-year-olds which were so closely alike 
in all characteristics that he alone could satisfac- 
torily identify the individual animals. He had a 
160-acre farm, did not employ a man the year 
around, none of his children were over six years old, 
and his wife was not sufficiently familiar with the 
animals to identify them satisfactorily. The owner 
himself, having been in constant touch with the 
horses, knew the separate individuals, but the simi- 
larity in color of the colts was so great that I 
asked this question: "In the event of your sudden 
death, is there any person who could come in here 
and positively identify all of your horses.^" The 
Percheron Permanently Marked 
One more illustration will suffice. A well known 
breeder and dealer, who has all of his own animals 
hoof branded, purchased the entire 1911 crop of 
yearlings from a group of farmers who had fifteen 
or sixteen yearlings to sell. These colts had all 
been recorded, and the buyer requested that each 
colt should be marked by clipping the hair before 
shipment, and that a list of the names of the colts 
and their markings should be sent, so that he could 
