Pioneer press. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1882-19??, 1911-12-02
Fig. 3. Points Of the Horse.

b. Arm
6. Forehead II. Elbow
7. Eye 10. Forearm
3. Ear 19. Knee
9. Lower jaw 20. Cannon
10. ThroatIatch 81. FetIock joint
II. WindPipe
BY Or G. A. Lueder, Instructor in Vet.
Urinary Science, West Virginia Uni.
versity.
Perhaps in no other line CT agricul.
tural work has there Deen such a 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 a
result the horse market has often been
hooded and the prices been so low
that the farmers have sold all their
animals at low price simply to get
rld or them. In ten years horses have
become scarce and hard to get at any
price. Then a 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.
most profitable classes Of horses that
a farmer can raise. In judging a draft
morse 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 a 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. EST.
mate in your own mind the weight and
height, observe closely the general
form and conformation. This is the
most important quality of a good draft
horse. See that he is broad, smooth,
massive, symmetrical, square-bodied
individual with all bOny projections as
haunch, stiles, shoulders, and around
the eyes, we'll covered with flesh. The
skin must be mellow, hair smooth and
line. Every action OF the horse must
be observed with the utmost care
The stride must be regular, straight,
long, elastic and fast. The trot
straight, springy, free, and the feet
must be well set on the ground
While watching all the above quail.
ties, the temperament must be OBJ
served closely. See the expression in
the eyes, and the carriage of the ears,
which very often indicate the DISPOSE.
Hion.
The head and neck are two very i'm
Dortant points which must be careful.
ly observed. The head must be clean
cut, well carried, profile straight and
IN proportion to the size of the body
The eyes are of much importance
and should be exaslined with utmost
care. Back the horse under dark
or shady shed with head to the light
Place the hand over the eye and keeI
1T dark for about thirty seconds. Then
remove it and watch the expansion
and contractions of the pupil which
designates perfect sight. They
must be Of the same color and clip
tical in shape. A spherical eye indi.
Gates poor sight, or maybe blindness
The forehead must be full and clean
Examine the top Of the head for any
swellings or engagements as poll
Evil" The ears must be medium in
size, we'll carried forward and alert;
Jaws clean, uniform, and straight
The fore-quarters are a most impor.
tant factor in a good draft horse, es.
pecially the shoulders. They must be
smoothly muscled moderately sloping
and extending we'll into the back. The
arms are short and heavily muscled,
while the forearm should be longer