The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-12-29
THE HORSE AND HIS FUTURE.
His Struggle for Existence Against the
Wheel and the Motor

Recent forecasts Of the influences of
motor-cars and bicycles upon the fu-
ture of horses have been, in many
cases, eXtravagant and ridiculous. 1t
has been said that in a few years the
horse will no longer be bred for pur
poses of general utility, and that if he
exists at all, it will be merely as pet
or plaything. Nonsense of this sort
should not blind us to the fact that
motor-cars and motor-carriages light
railways, and, to a certain extent, also
cycles of various kinds, are certain to
affect very seriously the horse-breed-
ing interests in this, the greatest of all
horse breeding countries. Horse-deal-
ers already complain that the market
for moderate hacks-the best keep up
their prices-has suffered considerably
from the enormous increase in the use
of the bicycle. Many a hack has been
sold because its owner found bicycle
a sWifter, more agreeable, more con-
venient and much more economical
conveyance. When small electric mo-
tors are added to bicycles, many men
who would find bicycle riding in the or
binary way too fatiguing, are likely to
adopt them, and get rid of their saddle
horses. But it is the motor-car, van
omnibus, cab and carriage which
threaten to become the most deadly en-
envy of the horse.
Before enlarging upon the damage
likely to be inflicted upon horse-breed-
ers and horse dealers by such things, it
may be prudent to bear in mind that
the question of the probable influence
upon both by artificial progression and
propulsion was asked, and with at least
as much reason, in the early days of
railway locomotives and the use of
steam power for purposes of agricul-
ture Yet many more horses are bred
in these days than in those. 1T may be
that the number is not larger, IL so
large, in proportion to the population.
The enormous perpetual increase of the
population in proportion to the increase
of any kind of farm produce, in this lit
tie country, is a very important point
to be remembered in calculating the eff
feet of any new factor upon the future
demand for particular form of pro-
duce. This consideration may well
give rise to the doubt whether, be the
use of horseless conveyances ever so
general the demand for horses will de-
crease sufficiently to reduce their num-
Der in this country very materially
twenty years hence. Judging from the
results of the steam plough, the steam
threshing- machine, the steam turnip-
chopper, the steam cake-crusher and
the steam pulper, the motor-cart Is not
very likely to lead to the extermina-
ton of the cart horse; and, if the light
railway saves him some labor, it Is not
more likely to make his services UNI
necessary than the ordinary railway.
So far from anticipating the abolition
of the cart-horse by the motor, we
should be much surprised to learn that
a large number of cart-horses are not
employed at the works of the large
horseless- carriage companies them
selves.
We will continue with the cart-horse
in beginning our consideration of the
injury that may be inflicted upon horse
breeders by the substitution of steam
power for horse power. Among the
most important patrons of the Shire
horse and the Clydesdale, as the cart
horse Is technically called, according to
his breed, are the brewers. Undoubt-
eddy it will be a great saving to them
to have their prodigiously heavy carts
moved by steam instead of by horses.
Horses similar to those used by brew
ers, again, draw the heavy vans of
many manufacturers and merchants
and dealers in cities;>it may be expect
ed therefore, that the demand for such
I horses will seriously decrease, and we
should not care at this moment to in
vest money in a large breeding stud of
Clydesdales or Shire horses at present
prices. Not that we anticipate the dis
appearance of either breed. On farms,
in the yards of great works and rail-
way companies and even, to some ex-
tent, in carriage in towns, there will be
ample opportunities for employing
them. The light-van horse will proba-
bly,, like the heavy cart-horse, be SUI
perseded by the motor. Where he is
used time is generally of Importance
and here steam power has an advan-
tage over him. He is a fine, active
useful animal. and we should greatly
regret to see him gradually disappear
ing. We have more fears in his case
than in that of the Shire horse or the
Clydesdale, as there is little demand
for him beyond towns and suburbs
and farmers are not likely to go on
breeding him for their own use.
Nobody can, strictly speaking. be
said to breed the cab horse He, like
Lord Beaconsffelds critic, is an animal
that has failed in other walks of life
To have no market for the failure
however, will be a very serious matter
to breeders, as well as to purchasers OF
horses that have turned out to be fail
ures. In short, what is to become OF
equine failures in the future appears to
us to be the most crucial question con-
nected with motor-carriages
The best omnibus horses are bred fol
their particular purpose, and sorry, in.
deed. shall We be if these sturdy. active
creatures become obsolete. 1t is very
difficult to fOretell the fate of the pri-
vate carriage horse. Motor-carriages
are likely to become fashionable. Fol
some time they will, no doubt, remain
I e. l. H.