Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-07-17
ABOUT HORSES.
Point That Are of Practical Value In tn
Animal.

Points That Are of Practical Value IN tho
Animal.
There is no work required of any
horse, let the duty be ever so mental,
where intelligence. honesty and kind
ness will not be of material value. The
possession or lack of these may be
learned by scanning the expression of
the eye. This is termed the window of
that Represented part, from whence
all actions get their prompt;ngs, and if
vic;ousness turks within, it's sinister re-
Election will shine through, and the
effect need not be misinterpreted. Well
marked fullness of brain half way be-
tween the eyes and the setting on of
the ears, accompanied by breadth and
fullness immed iately back of the ears,
are always connected with kindness
Of disposition and associated with am
bition. If there be fullness in front
and narrowness back of the ears, there
will be a kindly disposition without
ambition. If the development be the
reverse of this. there will be an alb
sence of kindly intentions, with
marked vicious tendencies. The ear is
largely a fancy point, yet the man
ner in which IL is set on, and it's mo-
ton, furnish clear indications to expe-
rienced horsemen. and to other horses,
Of the character of the thoughts. The
ears have a language well understood
bv other animals. and when to this is
added the expression of the eyes, the
whole story is pretty clearly told.
Az roroV1, rho nocIy ifc pn0o,11iopi-
ties mainly minister to the fancy, and
necessarily keys to the breeding of
Bile degree, is. While the neck may
be said to be merely a flexible mem
Der, placed between the shoulders and
the head for the purpose of carrying
the latter, and enabling the horse to
see the way clearly to the right and
left, and reach the ground, or the
branches overhead for food, that part
to which it is attached at its base,
the shoulder, cuts a very i'm
portant figure IN the horses value
and durability. no matter what char
acter of service he is assigned to. AS is
well known to most persons, the more
upright shoulder is preferred for draft,
because the force is required to be ex-
pended in q forward horizontal direc-
tion. while the slantn shoulder throws
the forceof the exertion upon the lower
part, or shoulder point. Hence if a
horse is selected with a slanting shout
der, and put to drawing loads, it will
be found that the horizontal effort will
throw the lower portion of the collar
upward against the lower portion Of
the neck, pressing upon the wind-pipe,
creating distress in breathing. But for
road work, speeding, OF for the saddle,
no matter how worthy the animal may
be in other respects, the upright Shout
der prevents efficient service, and it
matters not how attractive the horse
may be in other ways, he can not put
himself into q form that is prevented
by his make up, nor show q swinging
gait and q good reach. likening his
foreleg to . pendulum, with this
restricted in its movements, because
not swinging freely forward and back,
at its upper attachments.
In selecting a horse for hard driving,
or for use under the saddle. it should
be borne in mind that the greater the
angle represented bv the position OF
the soapula. or shoulder-blade, giving
obliquity to the shoulder. the less is
the conclusion put upon the shoulder
under violent exertion, because the less
upright the shoulder is. and the less
the force is applied directly in the line
of bone and muscles, the less spring
and elasticity there are in that direc-
ton. After passing upon the shoulder
of the horse, it is well to look between
the forelegs, at their attachment with
the shoulder. In selecting a horse for
any purpose other than draft, a very
wide breast should be avoided, for in
most cases a horse with this formation
will paddle when he trots-a defect
which should consign him to slow draft.
For active service. the breast should
not be over medium width, and the
forelegs should be reasonably close to-
gether. Between the forelegs and
, close up to the body the space
should be so filled with mus
Gle as to form a pointed arch,
t rather than to show a wide space, as in
t the case of the draft horse. An arm
+ wide at it's junction with the shoulder,
rendered so by full development Of
l muscles on the rear and anterior por.
, tions of the arm, should always be
I sought, for the opposite formation is
: always attended by want of precision
, power and activity in the movements
e Of the fore!egs. As the subject will b.
referred to again, as to other portions
of the horses make up, we will merely
I add that the homely saying, mo leg
no horse" should always be borne il
t mind, and for any service other thar
g slow work on dirt roads, the horse will
injured legs OF defective formation il
these members should be Stunned, I'm
e less the injury be of such nature tina
J he will soon recover from it. AS to de
: fects in the formation, these OF cours1
S can not be remedied, and should b
guarded against.-Natiomol Live-S toc
Journal.
r "A Connecticut farmer has a snak
pasture, where he captures large nun
6nre of thoco ropt;1or oaoh .c,,rinr fTh