The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-24
HORSE TALK WITH FARMERS.
The Horses That Bring the Best Prices in
the Market
To the Editor of the Eagle:


as Sedgwick county has become an at
tractive center for raising horses, the
EAGLE will have to supply the farmers
and breeders of that region with al
items of interest pertaining to this in
dustry. Not only are there several large
farms within few miles of Wichita
that are devoted exclusively to raising
special breeds of horses, but every farmer
raises one or more colts or fillies every
year. Many of these farmers patronize
those stations whose services are the
cheapest, without much regard to the
breeding or individual merits of the
stallion they breed to- Hence, a major
ity of the horses raised are not bred for
any particular purpose, and consequent
ly sell for the very lowest prices, if sold
at all.
Chicago has become the greatest CEN
trail market for all kinds of live stock
horses among the rest. 1t is a subject
of Importance to farmers, to know what
| kind of horses will be most profitable
| Tor them to raise. The records of the
markets of Chicago and other principal
cities will give some indication as to
what horses bring the best prices.
The union stock yards of Chicago
have recently issued their twenty-seventh
| annual report of the stock sales of that
city, for the year 1892. In this report is
found a statement of the average price
Of horses of different breeding, for each
..f L.
six different classes of the horses brought
to that market, viz: streeters, saddle
horses, drivers, draft horses, general use
horses and carriage horses. The gener-
al average prices in round numbers, for
the six different classes is as follows:
Streeters, SOB; general use, 500;
drivers, STA; saddlers, 1882; drafters,
$40; carriage horses, 1858.
Mr.. j. S. Cooper, gentleman who has
had 30 years experience on horse stock
farm, and IN disposing Of horses in the
Chicago markets, has recently prepared
a classification and range of prices for
the past year, in Chicago, in which he
makes two classes of driving horses, two
of general use horses, express horses,
drivers, saddlers and carriage horses.
The average of prices that he reports are
as follows:
Streeters Tor car horses, 1000 pounds, 500
to $40.
General use, 1850 poun IS. from $50 to slA |
General use, good, ,45O pounds, from S15O to
SIG5
Saddle horses, 1075 pounds, from SIPS to $780, |
Express horses, $50 pounds, from $50 to |
sl65
Drivers, fair 1,O75 pounds, from s125 to $780, |
Drivers, good, LOO pounds, from $40 TO $780, /
Draft horses, ], 400 to $50 pounds, from $3.50 |
to $40
Carriage teams, $500 pounds, from $500 to |
$500.
1t will be seen from these statements |
that the horses that bring the highest |
price in that market are carriage teams;
those next to the highest are good driv-
ing horses, and the third in price are the
heavy draft horses.
Mr.. f. J. Berry, a prominent dealer
with thirty years of experience
with horses in Chicago, has supplied the
following important hints in regard to
the kind of horses most profitable for
farmers to breed, for recent issue of
the Kansas Farmer. He says:
"The breeding interests of this country
reed to be thoroughly revolutionized.
There has been too much promiscuous
breeding, breeding without a purpose,
breeding because they were mares, and
stations IN the same way, This is not
the way to breed horses. Every horse
should be bred to a purpose, and bred
from stock that is as near what they
want to produce as possible. For ill.,
stance, the draft horse: The mare should
be strictly draft-bred mare for at least
three crosses-Percheron, Clyde or Shire
(Percheron preferred). She should weigh
at least 1900 pounds, and should have all
the quality possible to get-good bone,
good color; any solid color, dark grey is
good color. She should be
a mare of good, smooth finish, with
plenty of knee action, the more action
the better. Clyde or Shire mares, bred
to first-class. Norman horses, is the best
cross and produce the best results OF any
draft horses bred in this country. The
stallion should be Percheron or Nor
man, the largest and highest quality
possible to get, and sound. Draft stock
bred in this way, we dare say, will
produce a class of draft horses that
will sell in our market for as
much money as draft horses ever
brought. We think there is a great in
ducement to farmers at the present time
to breed the largest and highest quality
of draft horses that can be bred.
The next class of horses for farmers
10 breed is the light harness horse, coach
horses, carriage horses, road horses, and
TO breed this class we would advise Sc
curing the best Hambletonian stock that
can be had. We are aware that COM
mon farmers cannot afford TO paw away
up in the thousands for BambIetonian
mares and stations TO commence with
in breeding stock, as this would require
a large capital; but they can do this:
They can secure the best bred stock that
they are able TO pay for. Be sure that
they are bays or solid colOrs; be sure I
that they are from fifteen and one-half |
% sixteen hands high. and that they I
nave plenty OF knee action, smooth, high |
inlsh, and that they possess all the
qualities that they are required 10 pro- / {
duce. and get them from the most fash ]
enable and producing-b lines that
hey are able to pay for, and as much as
possible, get them standard, but look at |
heir Individuality as more important
point than. standard. They must have
more gait the better. Now, the stallion
should be nice bay or brown, sixteen
hands high. and weigh 1900 pounds,
ma should be very high-class animal !
with style, action and high finish. The |
more speed he possesses the better, the
higher bred the better, and if from the
most fashionable producing lines, still !
better. Let the farmer get the best he
AN afford. Now, from this class Of |