The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-12-24
Raising Horses for Money.

There are only two classes of horses
greatly in demand by horse dealers who
buy to make money by selling again.
For our own farm use we prefer close
ly put together horse weighing from
1000 20 1920 pounds, and about fifteen
and half hands high. and that weighs
1,600 pounds. The small horse eats
less and can endure greater hardship
than the large one. But it is not the
horse to sell. The horse to sell readily
must either be a fast one or a large
one. This hal better be borne in mind
by the farmer in raising horses for
money. We saw two horses offered for
sale to New York buyer. One was a
perfectly symmetrical mare about ff-
teen hands high. Her limbs were clean
and as graceful as gazelle, her body
close-ribbed, neck arched and graceful,
and her head a perfect gem-her whole
make up was as beautiful as could be
asked for. The other was long
legged. lean, lank, rough boned hulk
seventeen hands high. The owner was
astonished when he was offered 5000
for his hulk and only ninety dollars for
his beauty.
There is little or no demand for small
horses in the cities, where the demand
for horses is the greatest. They want
bone, muscle, length, breadth, and
height; the capability of getting out
with large load, and nothing but size
satisfies the city drayman or teamster.
Every breeder should remember this
when he raises colt for money, and
farmers generally have that in view.
Seek, then, the best blood for size,
strength, and well-balanced parts.
Teach them to walk. Walking is the
gait for heavy work, and farm horse
should never, or very seldom. be al
lowed any other gait. A good fast
walk will accomplish more in hauling
during month or year than when the
team is required to trot half the time.
They will also keep in better flesh.
With roadster it is different. Their
muscles are more elastic and accommo-
dating. When trained to it they take
to trot naturally. The smaller sized
horses only are adapted to the road,
where rapid motion is required. And
this suggests the other class of horses
that may be raised for money-fast
horses.
We will not attempt to describe
them. Speed is the thing; beauty, II
you can find 1t combined with speed,
win tell on the price, but speed is the
all-important thing. There is point
where one second on a mile will COM
mand it's thousands. We only aliude to
facts. Such animals, like white black
birds, are rare, and the breeder more
rarely gets the money speed ultimately
brings. When you do not breed horses
for draught, with commanding size, it
is desirable to breed for symmetry and
beauty. Thousands of horses of me-
dunn size, and good road gait of eight
and ten miles an hour, or six miles an
hour by the day. of beautiful form. are
in demand, and will always bring
good price. To secure such horses,
care in the stock is necessary. Care in
feeding, care in handling, breaking,
and driving, are required. No young
horse, or old for that matter, should
know it's strength. Its muscles should
never be strained. nor its wind ex-
hausted. But tie lungs may be ex-
banded little by little. And thus its pow
ers of endurance tested and increased
--Ract6oa Former.