The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-04-06


To the Editor of the indianapolis Journal:
Since the era ending with the rebellion
there has not been greater demand for good
serviceable horses than exists at the present
time nor any time since then when such
thrifty prices were demanded for them, and
when the visible supply" was so small. If
anyone doubts the truth of these statements,
he has only to start out and try to buya neat
young horse of good style and weight. This
being true, it suggests that a new field of en-
terprise is open to the farmer
agricultural fairs have not encouraged the
breeding of the kind of horses now in demand
but have paid the largest premiums
for horses of light weight that is,
fast trotters and thoroughbred racers. The
rebound from this is the imported heavy
draft horse, as the English, Norman and
Clydesdale. This is better, for we can well
get along without the trotter and racer; but
the slow, heavy-limbed horses, seen ON the
streets moving enormous loads of merchant
disc from place to place, are indispensable.
Even these clumsy horses, without style,
movement or anything else to make them
desirable except their enormous strength,
can be found only in very limited numbers
and at prices that fairly stagger purchasers.
There is now an urgent demand for horses
of O different type from either that | have
described, which, for want of better name,
may be called business horse. The period
of agricultural depression has gone by
and business and improvement go
on apace. Drives of from ten to fifteen
miles and return with load the same day. are
not uncommon. Here the heavy-draft horses
are unsatisfactory. The horse of all work
should go we'll under the saddle should
travel easily before the spring-wagon carr
inc ha farp wife OF
children, and should draw with ease the
pillow and loaded farm-wagon The stanch
business horse of good size and style. of good
speed and quick action, may be fifteen and a
half or sixteen hands high, not short of limb,
but of strong and compact body, and of
weight from twelve to thirteen hundred
pounds. 1t is not too much to look for all
these qualities united in one animal As
write, have one such in my mind, an ex-
emplarv old mare of twenty-five summers
and winters, that is still mighty be-
fore load, and can leap an
ordinary staked and ridered fence with
uncommon ease and grace. Would it not be
we'll for farmers and horsebreeders to turn
their attention to breeding and rearing
horses of this type? There is an imperative
demand, and fabulous prices are paid for
them.
Writing about horses, I am led on to say
that there is wide room for reform in the
patent 10 every observer that q large proper
ton of old horses are unsound. The reason
is not far to seek. Enter almost any sable
and the first sensation is produced by an odor
offensive to the nostrls and irritating to the
eyes. 1t proceeds from ammonia, known to
be strongly alkaline and irritant. These
odors affect the throat, nasal passages and
lungs. Then follows inflammation of the eyes,
indicated by O clouded or milky cOrnel,
weeping, ETC.; then occur coughs, catarrh, in
fluenza, and last of ALL CHAMBERS, as the re-
suit of blood poisoning by the absorption of
diseased matter from the suppurated mem
branes. A clean stable and liberal use of
such absorbants and disinfectants as plaster,
lime. etc., will reduce the general liability
of horses to these disorders.
A valuable young mare belonging to the
writer was going blind from injudicious
feeding and overwork. After the failure OF
other remedies she was cured with arsenic
mixed with her feed, beginning for dose
with what would lie on the point of the
small blade of pocket-knife, increasing the
dose as careful trial proved to be safe. Other
similar cases have been cured by an applica-
ton of the same remedy. J. M. c.
ROB Roy Ind.