The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1873-08-27


, neither before or since the war ha
t any section of the south east of tn
Mississippi engaged in horse raisint
, TO any extent. OF late late year
: Texas has sent some horses north, bu
! these, as a general thing, do not com
pare favorably with those reared in =,
colder and more rugged climate.
The character and quality of th,
horses raised in the different horse
raising sections vary very materially
j The Vermont horses, especially thos,
with Morgan blood, .have been and
are still considered superior to al
others for general business purposes
and as pleasant driving horses. In
| deed, the Morgans appear to have alb
sOrbed something Of the rocky nature
of their native hills into their own
iron constitutions, which seem capable
4 of enduring any amount of hard labor
without injury Like all horses
raised in mountainol : countries, they
are very active and full of ambition,
rather under size, though hardly less
valuable on that account, as it has
long since been acknowledged that
small horses can stand more hard
work and are less liable to injury
than those of larger growth The
Canadian horses are even smaller
than those of Vermont and New
Hampshire, and, if possible, more
active and hardy They are not so
highly valued, however, as they are
too small to look well in harness, aud
are therefore less popular for family
use Ot late years horse raisers at
the west have been paying more at
tention to breeding than formerly, and
especially pains are being taken to in
troduee the Morgan blood. As a
result, the character of the western
horse is improving every wear, and
fortunately, for from necessity, the
west has already become the great
horse-produciag section. The rich
pasturage of the prairies furnishes az
abundance of cheap provender, and
little trouble is experienced in any of
the western States in raising horses
of good size and form. many of them
being even large. But most of the
western horses have one great fault
they lack toughness, and are unable
to stand an equal amount Of work
with those reared in New England
Many of them are also lacking in AMI
bition and spirit, but this is undoubt-
edly owing to the little care taken
heretofore to raise horses of OILY good
blood The California farmers are
newer at the business, but are starting
on the right basis, and are aiming to
introduce the best blooded stock
The soil aad climate of the State are
also admirably adapted to horse rails
ing, and many prOphesy that the time
is not far distant when the great
market of the country for fine horses
will be west of the Rocky Mountains. |
One of the most noticeable changes
of the horse trade in the last century
is the increase of values, which have
advanced very materially even in the
last ten years, owing to the steady
and constantly growing demand Of
the large cities. Indeed, the number
of horses used up annually in this |
country and England by the city rail- |
road and omnibus companies and in
the livery stables is something enor-
nous Perhaps the largest showing
is made by the London Omnibus
Company, who have purchased D.
O24 horses in the last twelve years,
but it is more than probable that the
various street railroad companies Of
this country are using up horses TO
day at u rate even greater than that.
The result of this steady increase in
the demand has been o steady in
crease in the prices, both Of business
horses and of racing stock. The
most marked advance has been in
the latter class, many of which com
nand fancy prices, according to their
speed, the most valuable being held
1t prices that would have bought out
pretty much the whole stock in the
country one hundred years ago.
Thus, for example, the best imported
Arabian horses could be purchased
hen for $500; now s., 600 is cheap
or frst-cIass blooded animal, and
aney prices run from that up to
,50, 600 The same is true in u less
legree of business horses. Fifty
-ears ago a iirst-class animal could
Ne bought for from $50 to 500. Now
he horse that sells for less than
300 is believed at once to have some
lefect Fair to good Vermont horses
low sell at from 5000 to $3.50, Cana
"a stock at from $3.50 to $500, and
western horses form 5000 to $3.50
This, of course, for horses that can
ot make time and are not notice
BILE for extraordinary size or action.
Springfield is a large horse mart, F,
nd Springfield dealers trade in all :
he classes we have enumerated ex- /,
ept the California and Kentucky ,
acers. By far the largest part of .
be horses sold here, however, come :
,om the west, mainly from Ohio, !
Michigan and Iowa. Most
uyers would prefer Vermont horses !;
nd be willing to pay for them, but :
be simple facts are that the Yer !
lont pastures are almost bare of .
ative horses, and there are twenty {
uyers to every good horse raised. n
lany unprincipled dealers have a I
lex Of sending western horses up (
1untry to rustieate for few weeks 7
nd then selling them for native stock, b
ut honest dealers do not pretend to i
e able to get Vermont horses, and !,
robably there have not been L doz- 4
\ of that class sold in this city this |.
eason, and those not of the best :
nality Canada horses are still OBJ '
Unable, although the regions just !,
cross the line have been pretty
loroughly secured, but the high
lties-about $40 on every 800