Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1911-11-07

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BY DR.. C. A. Lueder, Instructor In Vet
Urinary Science. West Virginia Uni
yersity.
Perhaps In no other line OF agricui
tural work has there Deen such lack
of systematic study as in horse breed
ing. Farmers have simply bred and
reared horses without any regard to
the demand of the consumer. AS q
result the horse market has often been
flooded and the prices been so low
that the farmers have sold all their
animals at low price simply to get
rid of them. In ten years horses have
become scarce and hard to get at any
price. Then reaction took place and
the farmers are once more breeding
in the same old haphazard way and
unless something is done to procure
better sires and dams, history will re-
peat itself.
The heavy draft horse is one of the
most profitable classes Of horses that
a farmer can raise. In judging draft
horse there are six main heads that
must be observed closely, namely, gen
eral appearance, head and neck, fore
quarters, body, headquarters and sex
ual organs. These heads are each sub
divided into several minor points
which must be observed and studied
from all angles in systematic way In
order to be able to take advantage
and pick out the good and bad quail
ties of draft horse.
The general appearance is judged
by standing away from the horse
about twenty feet and looking at him
from both sides and both ends. Esti
mate in your own mind the weight and
height, observe closely the general
form and conformation. This is the
most important quality of good draft
horse. See that he Is broad, smooth
massive, symmetrical, square-bodieo
individual with all bony projections az
haunch, stiles, shoulders, and AROUND
the eyes, we'll covered with flesh. The
skin must be mellow, hair smooth ant
fine. Every action of the horse mus
be observed with the utmost care
The stride must be regular. straight
long, elastic and fast. The tro
straight, springy, free. and the fee
must be we'll set on the ground
While watching all the above quail
ties, the temperament must be oh
served closely. See the expression II
the eyes, and the carriage of the ears
which very often indicate the DISPOSE
ton.
The head and neck are two very i'm
portant points which must be careful
" observed. The head must be cleal
cut, we'll carried, profile straight an
in proportion to the size of the body
The eyes are of much importanc
| and should be examined with utmos
| care. Back the horse under a dar
or shady shed with head to the ligh'
Place the hand over the eye and kee
/ it dark for about thirty seconds. The
remove it and watch the expansio
and contractions of the pupil whic
designates a perfect sight. The
must be of the same color and eliil
teal in shape. A spherical eye ind
Gates poor sight, or maybe blindness
The forehead must be full and cleal
Examine the top of the head for an
swellings or engagements as "Po
Evil" The ears must be medium
size, well carried forward and alert
Jaws clean, uniform, and straight.
The fore-quarters are most impo
tant factor in good draft horse, e
pecially the shoulders. They must ;
smoothly muscled, moderately slopin
and extending well into the back. Til
arms are short and heavily muscle
while the forearm should be longt
and from side view should be wild
clean and well muscled. In vtevin
the knees from the front they shoul
be wide and straight; from the sic
straight, deep, strong, clean and we
supported. The cannons should
straight and short. while the tendon
running down the back should |
large, clean, strong and well set bar
from the bone, making the side vie
wide and strong. The pasterns shou
I be moderately sloping, clean ar
showing great strength. The fe
should all be even in size; the hol
thick and dense and not inclined to
brittle The toes straight, not turns
in or out; soles convex; bars stronl
frogs large and elastic. and heels VII
and well supported.