The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-01-09
HORSE SENSE.

Lessons the Average Farmer May Draw
from the Horse Show.
The Rural New Yorker has this to say
about the horse fair that was held In
New York city:
It was for the '400;" that is to say, It
appealed most powerfully to the fashion
able people, who demand snowy and
speedy animals, and are prepared to pay
almost any price for them. The lessons
to be learned by the average farmer at
such show are few, but they are none
the less important. These fashionable
horses top the market in price, and when
they are good are as staple articles Of
commerce as wheat or pork. A stylish
roadster or coach horse Of good style and
color viii never 60 begging for Gus
TONER.
The average farmer cannot hope to
breed Nelson's or Axtells; that costs too
much money, and must be left to the
wealthy breeders, who have every facil-
ty for breeding and training the best,
and who can afford to give away nine
poor horses for the profit Of breeding tho
one first class animal But the farmer
can afford to raise good coach or carriage
horses just as we'll as he can afford to
raise nondescript animals that naturally
find their way to the street cars, with
the certainty of finally being driven from
that work by the electric motor.
The breeders who exhibited at this
show all agree that the business OF
breeding and training fine horses grows
better with each year. Sales of trotting
stock for breeding purposes are largely
determined by records" As one fam
lily or strain increases the number OF its
members in the 1920 class" or under.
the demand for that ''blood" increases.
Just now, for example, Nelson's great
performance has attracted attention to
his breeding and ancestors, and it will
doubtless change the plans Of many
breeders, and create a demand for ami
mails which otherwise would hardly be
noticed by the experts" All this is the
most necessary sort of business for the
breeder, and while of less importance to
the farmer it is, nevertheless, import
ant that he should know what he is
breeding his mares to. A study of pedi-
grees and performances will help him
Just as knowledge of the good qualities,
of several bulls will be Of service TO him
in breeding up herd Of good cows.
Special attention. the breeders said,
should be given to the mare, and unless
she is large, strong and solid they would
seek for vigor and strength rather than
speed in the stallion. In fact, endurance,
good nature and popular color will
prove more valuable than great speed
without any of these qualities. There
is great demand for good hunters and
jumping horses. So long as rich people
will organize SO called 'hunts" after
foxes or aniseseed bags there win be q
demand for good saddle horses that can
clear fence or brook with ease. Who
is better qualified to meet this demand
than the farmer whose pastures are on
hillsides, and whose rough land will not
provide living for slow moving. heavy
horses?
Hackney horses are also in good de-
mand. These chunky" and handsome
animals are wanted by the riders who
like to show themselves off in the parks.
Many good hackney stations are being
sent to this country from England. If
there is one in your neighboEhood, and
you have sound, active, "blocky" mare.
it will pay you to breed her to him.
There is every chance that the colt viii
be salable at good price.
Another chance for making money is
in breeding Shetland ponies. There is a,
great demand for these little fellows.
Try to buy one and see how difficult it is
to get what you want. They are tough
and hardy, easier to keep than mules
and will do more farm work in proper
ton to their size than any other farm
animals. There are several stock farms
in the country where they are kept ex-
clusively, doing all the farm work, from
blowing to haying, and doing it we'll.
There is three times the money in breed
ing two good ponies that there is in
breeding one car horse, and the cost is
about the same. The Exmore ponies are
also in good demand They are some
what larger than the Shetlands. but are
strong. active and rugged
Mixed Farming.
One small colony of eight Michigan
farmers near Ypsilanti went to Dakota.
eight years ago with not over three or
four head of COWS among them. They
can now count up over 400 head of cat
tie and horses which they have raised
and which fin1re as nrofit Thew have