Judging Draught Horses.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 393, 14 August 1889, Page 6

Judging Draught Horses.

Os the abovo subject a writer in the Melbourne Leader remarks that there aro very low men in the show ring who can judge working horses on well undeihbood mechanical principles. They know (ho says) a good fore log and a good hind leg, a pastern and a hoot, but they cannot tell whether these have boeh put together for the purposo of draught. And yet co one well acquainted with the Jaws of forces, and who knows horses as well, there is nothing sampler to define than the correct conformation of a pood draught horse as ho should appear in front, of his load. As a rule, the longer a draught horse is from his natural centre- of gravity (through tho heart) to the top of his hind pastern, if he is fairly proportionate, the longer is his stride and the greater his power, if pro- j vided with plenty of muscle. He must be able to pull as well as carry his own weight, and in order to pull well he must have length between the part* named. Short crutchy f-tops bofoie and behind may cairy him along with an empty cart, but tho powerful launching stiide, followed by 'the long lasting atrine from the hind foot, pivoted, so co &poak, on the top of tho hind pastern, is wanted to take on the load. 1>