Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1874-10-02
THE HORSE FOR THE FARMER.


Breeders seem to be under a hallucina-
ton in reference to the class of horses to suit
the most important market. To read most
of the articles giving advice to breeders, one
would suppose that the market for trotting
and running horses was the most profitable
and available. This is as sensible as that
every man could make fortune by buying
ticket in lottery. The prizes are few, and
the blanks are numberless. Suppose one
half Of all the horses in the country could be.
brought to 2:40 gait, how much would It
add to their intrinsic value, or to their mar.
ket value Speed is desirable, and should
be cultivated within proper limits but speed
alone is not what is generally wanted in a
horse. Even one million Of fast horses
could not find market at price equal to
good draft horses
Then another class of breeders will tell
you that the great requirement is for 900
to 1000 pound draft horse, to pull great
loads and do heavy work on the farm. Such
horses are required, to limited extent 10
cities and small towns, and would he TO
large extent for general purposes, if they
had not been bred TO secrete more fat aud
grow less muscle in proportion to size, and
thus become unable TO stand our hot, dry
climate, and perform labor in proportion to
size. The conviction is fast growing that
these horses must be greatly modified by the
infusion of warmer blood, and periectng a
sounder constitution, before they will be de-
manded for the general market-a million of
them would not bring remuuerative price.
Where, then, is the great demand for
horses ? Why, among 2,S00,U0O farmers
IL each farmer owns but two horses, 5,600,-
900 are required to Gil this demand, or more
than 60 per cent. Of all the horses owned in
the United States.
Here, then, is the great market TO be
filled. 1t is home market, and therefore
the most important, requiring animals well
adapted to the work. One of the causes
why farming has been complained of as un-
remunerative, has been the use Of poor
horses, requiring much more manual labor to
cultivate the soil, and thus increasing the ex-
pense Of every crop, aud the cost Of breed
ing this inferior class of horses, used by the
farmer for his own work, has been no less
than to have bred better class. The loss
to the farmer in working with a poor team
is really something enormous, when calculat-
ed for all the farmers of the United States.
III we estimate only one hall as working with
poor team, say l,300,0 600, and it appears
that the average quantity of improved land
to each farm is about seventy.fve acres. In
working the land with poor team, there is
tl., Loo, 81 t,.,a r. shn h,,N q
the driver, This loss cannot be less than
one dollar per day, while the team is used,
and thus for 100 days "a moderate time to
work team during the year,, would show
an average loss of 500, or the enormous
loss of Sl30000,000 per annum for the
whole country. And we believe this low
estimate Of the actual loss to the farmers OF
the United States from using poor horses on
the farm.
How puerle, then, to talk of few trot-
ting horses. or few dray horses, as being
the great matter for the breeders to study
These are all wanted in their places, and
should have due consideration but they
amount TO little compared with the great
want of agriculture itself Tor better muscle
in its horses. Strange that the farmer
should forget himself and his greatest need,
while contemplating the sale Of few hun
dred horses at high figures.
How to Improve Farm Horses.
We have often advised with reference to
the improvement Of the great class Of farm
horses, and we say again that this must be
done by crossing thoroughbred stations, or
l fhpga naarltt 90 etah Nhn EnwlteI, II
stout hunters, upon our roomy, halEbred
mares. The horses fitted to do the work OF
the farm aud 20 to market should have au
average weight of 200 pounds. and be
models OF muscular development. Such will
be able to plow at the proper depth, IN all
classes Of soils, and fifty per cent. faster
than the light, Informed horses now used.
This must be done by judicious selection,
| We have abundant material for this purpose
We have only to discard every stallion or
mare for breeding that does not come up to
the requisite staudard.
In establishing this standard farm horse,
the disposition should be considered, as well
as the form, weight and muscular develop
ment. Intelligence, gcntleness, and teach
able disposition are requisite Any vice is
likely to be transmitted to progeny, and
therefore, vicious animals should never be
bred from. One that is skittsh or very
restve should be discarded.
A proper system acted upon for ten years
would quite change the character Of the
farm horses Of the whole country; but SC
long as farmers will breed from any horse or
mare they possess, without regard to quai-
ties, We cannot expect progress from them.
We think many OF our prominent breeders
would dnd it for their interest to commence
breeding the proper horse for the farm along
with their fast stock. When We consider
the necessity for this particular class oI
horses, and the great demand to be supplied,
it appears evident that this is now the great
unoccupicd field, and will pay better On a
| L. arun 10 than anu nIhar