Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1893-04-21
THE TROTTlNG HORSE.
Cause Of Present Depression In the Trot-
ting norse Market.

ITO enter into all of the causes that
have led to the present depression in the
| trotting horse market would take more
time than | can spare at present" said
Mr.. Sibley. I'm general way the fault
lies mainly at the door of horsemen and
horse breeders, which | will illustrate
rs progress in my diagnosis. The pub
lie must understand that there are at the
present time hundreds Of men breeding
horses. come for profit and few for the
pleasure they find in the occupation.
However. ont of the hundreds engaged
in the business only a small percentage
breed intelligently. Too many breeders
are ignorant of and indifferent to blood
lines and the science of blending them,
the result being that the market is glut-
ted nowadays with trotters that cannot
trot, with horses that ought to be draw
ing plows and lumber wagons.
Then, again, the standard craze
has trdnsgresscd all reasonable limits.
individuality has too frequently been
sacrificed to pedigree that had no other
merit than blood 60 sustain it. With the
sacrifice of individuality there have been
foaied "a large number of scrubby, mis-
shapcn, understood and oftcntimes blem-
ished animals. which in turn have been
sent 60 the auction mart. Nine times
ont of ten they have been too slow for
the track or road driving, too light for
draft or general purposes and too small
and homely for the carriage.
Another cause for the present depres-
-. -, 81, =. l..
bidding at auction sales. There are auc-
tioneeTs that are honest with seller and
buyer, but am sorry To say they are
largely in the minority. it IL within my
own observation when | state that
know Of horses sent to the auction blocks
by their owners with the distinct under
standing that if they did not bring a
certain price they were to be bid in,
while at the same ti-rc il was given cut
in advance 10y the auc.ioneer that the
sale was 10 be positive and without re-
serve. Would be- purchasers have learned
these things. have become suspicious
lost confidence, and rs rule are stay
ing away from auction sales or not bid
ding if they DO attend them.
Last. but not least. the trotting horse
industry is Suffering from dishonest rae.
ing associations and unfair and dishon-
est judges in tho stand, When "a racing
association viii permit wealthy breeders
and owners Of horses 20 enter with tho
distinct understanding that if then
horses do rot win races in their class NJ
entry fee is 90 be demanded of them
while others are compelled to pay, ac-
cording 10 the rules, 10 the last cent.
such discrimination is injurious to the
horse breeding industry and disgusts
breeders. Not only does IL disgust hon
est men who breed horses. but these
things deter gentlemen who would be
willing TO invest large sums of money in
a breeding stud, tend TO cripple the sale
of stock AMI by implication the breeding |
business in general In addition to this. |
more horse papers are published than
there is a healthy demand for. the con
sequence being that the rottenness which |
| have illu' rated is either defended OF |
ignored. { ly few are honest and out !
spoken enough to openly expose and de |
nOunce the things spoken of. Until we 4
purify racing associations and the entire |
turf paraphernalia and return 10 honest /
and open AMI above board methods, IN
til every breeder erects "A high standard |
of breeding and breeds up toit, the slump
in the trotting horse breeding business
will continue"
Then YOU think high stud fees cut no 4
figure in the Depression
II certainly think they do not. DO
not know of stallion standing for a
high fee today or that stood for one for
the past year which is not worth the pric,
asked Nor do | know of one that did |
not have his book. full. Why, paid
81 900 fee for "A service TO Axtell. not
only paid the money willingly, but con.
slider that got the worth of my money.
When ST. Bel was alive his fee was $500,
and even at that figure his bookings were
Mt "A premium. have no doubt that
high as are the service fees of Arion, AL
Ierton. Kremlin, STEAMBOAT, Axtell, Sid
ney and numerous other high class stall
lions, their books will fill rapidly, which
is the best evidence in the world that
their fees are not too high"
"You have some Of the blood Of The
Moor in your stud, have you noty'
YES. and value it highly for breeding
purposes. Ii is hot blood, bat virile and
full Of that mysterious quantity called
nerve force. | have daughter of Beau
tiful Bells by The Moor that is very fast,
but inclined TO nervousness like her dam.
By the way. have been for some time
investigating the pedigree of Belle of
Wabash, dam of The Moor. have got
Tar enough in the matter to satisfy my
self that she was not Of Morgan blood,
as is asserted by some. She was nearly
# not quite thoroughbred and sired by
Ballinger."
"How will the trotter of the future be
irmed?"
with just enough iron to protect his
feet. My impression is that in racing he
will be compelled, in majority Of cases,
10 wear boots 10 protect himself, al
though their weight is disadvantage TO
extreme speed. Mr. Hamlin, the great
Buffalo breeder. illustrated to me not
ong since how much of an impediment
hey are. Prince Regent was trotting a