Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1874 — Long-Legged Horses. [ARTICLE]

Long-Legged Horses.

For most every-day purposes shorilegged horses are in general preferred, because in themselves they indicate superior strength, and because, by nature, they are associated with depth of chest and carcass, and other signs of stamina and durability; but the long leg possesses advantages in stride and leverage, and therefore, where speed is required, becomes a desirable formation. The length of limb must very much depend on the purpose the animal is destined for; a long leg would be as Ml adapted for a cart-horse, as a short one would be for a -racer. To get over the ground length becomes absolutely necessary in the propelling parts of the machine, and these arethe loins and the limbs. Occasionally we meet with horses with long limbs ana short bodies; but such are rare and undesirable conformations—the limbs doing

too much for the body, or, rather, the latter restricting them in their action. People in general make objection to horpes with undue length of limb; such a horse has “ too much daylight underneath him to be good for anything,” is a common expression enough in these cases, and, prima facie — and in nine cases, perhaps, out often —these people arc correct in their disapprobation. But every now and then comes a horse before us with all this apparent objectionable sub-cor-poreal “daylight,”' and yet with extraordinary power in his long limbs, with circularity in his chest though it be not deep, and with the known character of being “ a good feeder after work;” and when such a horse does present himself, we may. should he possess breeding, regard him, notwithstanding his long legs and light body, as an animal of a rare and valuable description. His legs, having but little to carry, are therefore likely to “ wear well” and he is likely to prove a fleet horse, and withal a good-winded horse—one that is likely to turn out a most valuable acquisition. One ought not hastily to reject a horse with long limbs and their ordinary accompaniment, a light carcass. — Prairie Farmer.