Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1909-02-09
Height, Size, Substance.

Probably every one interested in
horses, who is not an absolute tyro, Is
able to distinguish between height, size
and substance, as they apply to horses,
says 3 horse exchange. The height Of
q horse is generally understood to mean
the distance from the level floor upon
which the animal stands, to the top OF
the withers, and Is expressed in hands.
A hand signifies space of four inches.
hence horse that stands 1872 measures
so inches on q straight line from the
soles of his forward feet to the top Of
his withers, and q 16-hand horse "a in
ches.
In measuring to get the exact height,
the horse should stand squarely aud
naturally on his feet, the forward ones
near together and the hind ones not 80
far back as to cause him to appear
stretched.
A horse may be tall and yet his barrel
may lack depth so that some animals
which stand 16 hands high will not
weigh more than $50 pounds. Such ami
mails are not well proportioned. There
is "too much daylight under them," as
old horsemen define such conforma-
ton. An animal of that description is
seldom of much value for any kind of
service. He will soon break down If
used for saddle purposes, is apt to tire
on the road II driven to harness, is not
adapted to pull heavy loads, is generally
a shy feeder, and lacking in endurance.
A we'll ll-proportioned 15-1hand horse that
weighs from 1000 to 1925 will outwear
two of the long-legged, light-barrelled
and light-waisted kind.
Size as applied to horses includes
their height, the length and depth of
their barrels, their girth around the
chest just back of the fore legs, and
around their barrel just in front of their
hind legs, or flanks, the girth around the
forearms at the elbows, stiles and gas
kins, also just above and below the
knees and hooks. A horse may lack
heighth and still be termed large horse
or he may have more than the average
height and still be a small or delicate
horse.
Substance, as generally understood,
refers to the abundance of muscular
tissue. A horse of substance is one
whose framework is heavily clothed
with muscle. The animal may have
high -boned frame, with the bones Of the
legs large, and still not be horse of
substance. He may simply be coarse,
raw-boned animal. On the other hand
the bones of his frame may be only of
medium size and yet so abundantly Gov
cred with muscle that he may properly
be called horse of good substance. A
horse that lacks substance may be 80
heavily covered with fat that to the in
experienced eye he may pass for horse
Of substance when be is deficient in that
respect. There is vast difference be-
tween adipose tissue and muscular
tissue.
The point of the horse are best OBJ
served when the animal is out of harness
and is trifle thin in flesh, for If he Is
inclined to be slack in the coupling, or
weak in the loin, it can then be easily
detected. As was recently stated, horses
whose muscles are fne-grained and firm
to the touch, possess quality. Such ami
mails usually have fine short coats of
hair, their skins are thin and are tightly
drawn on the bones of their legs, and
the cords of their legs are so clearly de-
fined that their legs below the knees and
hooks have the app earance Of being
fluted. The man who claims that be-
cause a long legged, light horse
is 10 hands high he is of horse substance
simply makes himself laughing stock
among those who have learned the first
rudiments Of Observation-Disclosures
Farmer.