The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-01-15
MATCHED TEAMS.
Their Value-HOw to Match Horses--The
Business q Science in Itself.

Business Science in Itself.
The value of well-matched teams over
carelessly matched, especially carriage
teams, is not generally given much in
telligent thought. The matter was very
clearly placed before me recently, says
M. L. Hines in National Stockman.
" want to show you one of span Of
horses which have purchased. If you
have time now come around to the
stable. It's but step" Thus spoke
friend, prosperous jeweler, who has .
great love for and good understanding
of trotters and roadsters. Going to the
stable was shown grandly built bay,
with straight back, clean limbs, fine
head and beautiful black name and tail.
ST can mate this fellow can sell the
span for a thousand easily said the
jeweler But where is his mate?
You said you had purchased span"
l was then given little lesson in
matched teams.
The span in question had been pur-
chased by a wealthy woman, whose
coachman knew nothing of the art Of
handling horses. The span were of the
same weight, stood the. same height,
and had the same black points. They
were called a well-matched spar, but
they were not. The one possessed a
straight back; the others was inclined
to SWAY" One was four inches longer
from center of the breast to tail than his
mate, and as for their heads they were
different in outline. Then the mate to
the one shown me was, previous to be-
ing matched, driven single, and when
sold had not been accustomed to the
double harness. The coachman knew
so little of his business that he could not
make the horse keepin place. The horse
was cranky and nervous, and the natural
result was a runaway.
OF course after that the woman offered
the span for sale. She had paid 500 in
cold cash for them and accepted of the
jeweler $500 worth of diamonds for them.
He saw they were poorly matched, and
sold the poorer one to grocer for $3.50
and kept the better. He is now on the
lookout for a perfect mate, and as he
has a standing offer of $1,000 for the
span, once he gets satisfactory mate,
he can afford to pay $500 for such horse
and make handsome profit.
Matching horses is science of itself.
1t is not enough to get horses of the
same general looks, if frst-class prices
are wanted. 1t took friend and myself
year to find just the mate for hand
some carriage horse. In the meantime
we saw hundreds of animals of which
fifty might have been selected that
would make fair mates. In matching
the eye of the true horseman is suf
ticient, but the inexperienced must de-
pend good deal On the tape line. Meas
ure from the top of the head to withers
from this point to the top of the hips
and from here to the root of the tail
Measure the length Of the legs from
joint to joint, the length of the head, the
distance between ears and eyes, the cir
conference of the body over the withers
and around the TANKS Then measure
the distance to the ground from the tol
of the head when elevated to its full ex
tent, and don't forget to measure thu
stride. After these measurements have
been satisfied see if the horses arr
matched in gait. If not try to overcome
the difficulty, for that is an importan
matter. Once get pair well matched
and you will not hunt for purchaser.