Rensselaer Union, Volume 10, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 February 1878 — Broad-Chested Horses. [ARTICLE]

Broad-Chested Horses.

“ Wind,” said an old horseman, “is the grand secret of a fast horse, Good lungs will cover a multitude of faults; whilst, on the other hand, perfection of shape and form are useless when the wind is out. The chest, therefore, in all cases, should be large and capacious. In shape it may vary somewhat, according to the service to which the horse is to be put. If he is to be kept for slow work and heavy drawing, the chest may be nearly circular in form, because this shape is the one for strength and bulk, to receive and bear up against the pressure of the collar; while at the same time sufficient room is secured for that expansion of the lungs caused by slow ana regular work. But, if the chest is circular, let it be at the same time deep, or else the lungs may be cramped. A horse with a shallow chest is worthless for any purpose. The rule, then, is this: For a draft horse, a circular but deep chest; but as soon as you pass through the different degrees of speed, up to the racer and trotter, the chest will increase in depth, compared to its roundness, until, for the highest rate of speed, you must have a chest as deep as a greyhound, and, at the samo time, not lacking in strength. Every breeder should keep this rule in mind when selecting his brood mares and stallions, for he may be sure that shallow-chested parents never beget deep-chested Colts.”—Chalauqua Farmer. ■ Thk Permanent Exhibition at Philadelphia has assets amounting to SBBI,002 41, while its liabilities are $510,004.81. Among the latter are $171,577 due the Centennial Board of Finance, but it is expected that it will be settled on payment of $40,000, which will leave the company all right, as it has got the expenses about down to receipts now. . -y . . ; r " —lt is told of the late Chief Justice Chase that Mrs. Myra Clark Gaines (who is much older than she looks) assured him one day that she should plead before the bar until she was 150 years old. “ And to think, madam, that this is to be kept up 125 years longer,’’"said the gallant Chief-Justice, as he bowed to the widow.