Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1889-09-13
BREEDING HORSES.

The livestock Journal says:
When good judge OF horses
makes a trip through almost any
section of the cOuOtry, and looks
at the horses on the farms OF that
section, he eau see that compare
lively few farm rs have studied
the subject OF rearing horses snf'
ieiently to enable them to under
stand what course they should take
in breeding them to insure the best
results. 4 man makes up his mind
whether he will breed heavy or
light horses, and having decided
as to that, the expense is, in many
cases, tue main consideration. He
does not appear to understand that
the services OF a superior horse are
worth more than those OF one that
has neither good breeding nor in
dividual merit to recommend him.
The difference in the fees charged
nav be only few dollars, and
vet he considers he is practicIng
economy by saying that small sum.
HIS selection is made without re-
gard to whether the horse is suited
TO the mare, aud because defective
where they are also deficient, the
The choice may be the worst that
could be made. The owner does
not realize this, however, aud per
haps is much surprised when the
colts DO not prove to DO equal to
what ne expected. If he had In.
formed himself by reading, or had
consulted some skilful breeder of
horses. he would have known that
such breeding would result un'
satisfactorily.
Another, perhaps, makes con
yenience the main consideration
aud chooses the horse that is so
located that he can be patronlzed
with the least loss Of time. In this
way he believes he has affected
some saving, while the fact may be
that il would have been far more
profitable for him had he gone ten
times as tar. The time and expense
required to grow the colt to a
slla0le age is the same, or nearly
so, W neither it makes a horse worth
$50 or one that will bring double
that, and the difference in the sell
ing price pays handsomely for
extra time and trouble, should
these be required at the outset.
Too many breed IN haphazard
way, with no clearly.defned pur-
pose IN view. as Is shown by tue
vast number of very inferior horses
put on the market each year aud
sold Vt prices that must leave
littlsy~ 80 profit for the breeder
More SKI and good Judgment are
required probably in breeding the
lighter class OF horses than Of rails
ing colts of the draught breeds, for
in the case OF heavy wOrk-hOrses
weight and sOundness are the most
important considerations, while IN
the case of driving.hOrses the
value is largely dependent upon
form, sty lie, and speed. While the
value of a draught-horse Is in
creased by good, prompt action
and well shaped body, still with
out these he will find buyer, if he
has weight and sound, more readily
than the driving horse that is
deficient IN the qualities named
The increasing use for heavy horses
in large cities has made a demand
for them that has prompted many
farmers to turn their attention to
breeding them instead of the
lighter class of horses. Skilful
breeders claim that they can make
more money in raising the latter,
but c0ncede that the heavier
breeds are more profitable for the
man who lacks either the taste or
the Judgment to raise something
better than the inferior stock found
on so many farms, especially
through the West. There Is room
tor a vast Improvement in this di'
rection, with the result of adding
materially to the income of the
farmer-a point that he has ample
reason to consider in these DAYS of
low prices for so many products Of
the farm.