Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-08-21
MUSCLES.
1hetr development q Prime Factor In the |
Value of Horses. l

Their Development u Prime Factor In the
Value of Horses.
1t requires more care and knowledpe
than most men give of the one or
possess OF the other, to draw the line
between muscular development, dis
tributed in such a way as to give
plumpness to the outward form, and
fat, which latter is usually relied upon
in too great a degree to give comeli-
ness. Stations are usually fed up dur
ing winter, preparatory, as it is ignor-
antly claimed, to the drain expected
to be put upon them during the
coupling season. Much better would
it be to exercise them somewhat
severely during several months prior
to the beginning of service, that the
muscular system, the most important
part of the horse, when the uses, COM
plicated and multiple as they are. to
which ne IS put are considered. With
a view to developing the muscular sys-
tenn in the stallion, the feed, of course,
should be literally given to maintain
the powers during the free exercise
which alone will bring the vigor
necessary to insure a vigorous progeny
and develop those parts of the system
thai are concerned in locomotion. No
matter what may be fancied in the
matter OF certain peculiarites of forma-
ton and style, the horse is, after all,
nothing without muscular power, if for
draft; and, again, nothing for speed,
or for ordinary road work, unless ade-
quately muscled.
The remarkably deep, let-down and
widespread muscles of the hind quar-
tiers in the makeup of Little Brown
jug and of J~ayeyesee, demonstrates
the necessity of having a special for
nation where special and great per-
formances are expected. What would
Lexington have been with only the
muscular development common to the
average well-bred horse of his height
and length of body? The little horse
that gave us the Morgans, first got re-
nown, not through showing wonder
full burst of speed, but through won
full muscular power at draft. The for
nation that gave that power in draft,
became a leading factor in the speed
which vas jointly inherited with the
muscular development. A horse NAV
have superb qualities under the saddle,
made up in part of.'an up and down
motion. growing out of the presence of
short and moderately developed mus
cles, sufficient for the saddle gait and
for parade, but totally inadequate to
move a heavy load or to reach out with
strength upon the road or track,
making long strides, and making these
rapidly, by reason of having pro-
polling muscles of large calibeer and
long fiber. The long and heavily de-
veloped muscles of the horse may be
compared to the large, heavy driving
wheel of the locomotive; this, when
properly sustained from the steam
boiler, being a prominent factor in mat
tiers of speed and power.
1t has long since been demonstrated
that size Of body in the horse, under
tho ordinary rules of measurement,
sustains but little relation to his speed,
either as a running or a trotting horse,
while, as stated, size and length in
those muscles concerned in a leading
degree with Observation-Disclosures
tell upon every stride the horse makes,
no matter what his gait. Thus, with a
horse of nine hundred and fifty pounds,
having muscles of propulsion equally
as large and long as those of an
other horse Of eleven hundred
pounds, it is not difficult to under
stand, all other things being equal,
why the lighter horse would be likely
to outstrip the heavier. A body heavi-
ly muscled is less liable to strains than
M not so fortified-Q), because there
is innate power to meet heavy ex-
actions, ven though these are put up
on the animul suddenly; (2), because
a horse of superior muscular develop
ment makes his moves with ease to
himself, through having large reserve
force. So fortified, he avoids slipping,
by gathering his forces together sud-
denly, planting hts feet with great
celebrity upon new and better footing.
As an illustration, we do not expect a
bird of passage, able to remain a long
time in the air, showing extraordinary
powers of flight. to do this through any
hidden quality; but, on the other hand,
we look for large development of wing
muscles accompanied, of course, as in
the high-bred horse, with fine texture
and vigorous powers of endurance, the
natural outgrowth Of peculiarities o.
race and formation necessary to great
attainments.-LiUe Stock Journal.
How a Chinaman Passes an Exami.
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