Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 December 1911 — LIVE STOCK [ARTICLE]

LIVE STOCK

I THE HORSE FOR SERVICE, r v. ' 2 jr- ■ W . ;’ly- * * Wearing A bulletin by the Canadian Agricultural Station says that the short ribbed horse'is never in proportion culent food to serve him from.we meal to another. A light-centered horse seldom weighs well; and weight ia a draft horse, if he comes from bone, sinew and muscle, goes a very long wny to determine his commercial value. When a horse is veil conpled :together on top and has a short hack, he must have the length below from the point of the shoulder,, to. the back of the thigh. When so built jjjft,; will stand the Strain of drawing heavy loads much better than is he Has a long, loose back. .■/./../</■ A The front feet and hocks are the parts of either a draft horse or a driving horse that comes directly in contact with the hard work, and Ixnless they are sound and good a horse's usefulness will be very much impaired and his commercial value very much lessened. Before using the stallion, get the groom to lead him away from you Stand square behind him and see that ucthem on the ground properly, traveling in both trot and walk clear and clean, not striking the ground fust with the toe and then bringing ddwu the heel. . , - . ' The feet should be large and waxy ip appearance. The sole of the hoof should be concave, the frog spongy, plump and elastic, because it acts as a buffer to take the concussion from acting too severely on the foot, pasternrand fetlock. See that both sire' and dam have sound feet, free from flatness, brittleness and are not contracted. There should be no “gumminess” about the hocks of the draft horse, as /it indicates coarsefifeSA The/ should toe - wide; es* pecially from a side view. A stallion whose feet are contracted and brittle and whose hocks are puffy and fleshy-looking should be avoided as such hocks are generally associated with a coarseness throughout his whole conformation and a general lack of quality.