The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-02-07
HOrse-Raising i'll Texas.
leo eman's Rural World

S. p. Cunningham, in the National
Live Stock Journal, says on this sub
Ject that the horse SurpaSSeS any
other domestic animal as to his adapt
ability to Texas surroundings. If
range becomes short and water scarce,
he can, by his speed and activity reach
either at less cost to his frame and
flesh than sheep or cattle. If a norther
approaches, he scents it from afar,
tered canyon ere it overtakes
him. l have noticed every
spring that horses come through
the winter in thriftier form than any
other class of stock. They thrive well
on scant heritage, endure the rigors of
winter, and thrive on grasses that
neither sheep nor cattle can live on.
Nor are the advantages of mule-rais-
ing alone to be considered in horse
breeding. Texas can and has deVel-
oped as fleet-tooted racers and nimble
trotters, as fine coach horses and road
sters as Kentucky can boast of. Her
climate, grasses and water develop
such racers as Incommode, Ella Row
EFT, Gen. Philips, Jack Hardy, Rebel,
and host of others that have trav-
vanquish the best stables in the
land. Gen. Philips and Incommode
were brought to Texas from Ken
lucky in colt form, and their constitu-
ton, stamina and speed illustrate the
power of Texas food, climate and de-
velopment. Nowhere have l found
horses with limbs so free from blem-
ish, with eyes SO bright, and stamina
superior to our native Texans. They
seem imperviOuS to winters chilling
blast or summers sultry sun. A
drive of sixty to seventy-five miles be-
made by the irrepressible drum
mer in his rural pilgrimages to
remote frontier towns, and his
heavy buggy, ladened with samples
and comforts for the inner man, is
bowled along by his pony team, which
often depends upon grass alone for
sustenance. Wind-galls, splints, and
spavins are less frequent in Texas
than in any other section of the coun-
try have ever traverSed. The draft
horse Of Illinois, descended either from
the Percheron or the Clydesdale, cross
ed on our best native mares, produces
an animal well adapted to mule rails
ing; and were any one to establish a
breeding farm in this part of Texas
and hold annual sales Of his colts, he
would, in my judgment, find the profits
immense.
In rancho horse, speed, sense and
endurance are the requisites, and these
qualities are pre-emlnent in the racer.
For carriage horses thoroughbreds are
best; while the trCtters suit us best
for roadsters. The demand for bet
ter class of horses than our mustang
ponies is seriously felt. They, as a
class, are hardy, but too small
and are generally vicious. A cross
on mustang mares with the trotter or
racer makes serviceable rancho horse,
but the growing demand for
mules offers to the stock-raiser as fine
field for profit as any stock bust
ness in Northwest Texas. With good
jack mules can be raised Of as good
quantity as the cotton belt and sugar
plantations want, and can be reared
here on cheap lands at less cost for
three years than wednliCgS can be
wintered in Kentucky, Missouri or
Tennessee. Then we are nearer to
market, have better grasses, cheaper
range, and just the climate in which
to raise stout, healthy horses and
mules. 1T some capitalists would
inv,st, say $4,000 in good breed
ing farm in Northwest Texas, and
keep few thoroughbred mares, a
good stallion, a few jennets and fine
jack; in fact, any good mares and
stations to raise colts to supply the
demand for studs; and jennets TO sup
ply the demand for jacks. and dispose
of the colts in yearling form at an an
nual public cutlery, he could soon have
an income away up in the thousands,
and hold the same position in Texas
that Mr.. Alexander does in Kentucky
that of furnishing the country with
its coming sires. Such an enterprise
would benefit Texas largely, and be
the best paying investment in live
stock known to me.