St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1897-06-26
FARMER AND PLANTER.
THE SADDLE HORSE.
Branch OF Rural Economy that Has
Suffered But Little.

- =
Branch of Rural Economy that Has
Suffered But Little.
1t is a matter of record that saddle
horse breeding has suffered less in the
pinching time of the past few years
than any other line of equine produc
ton. This comes about from the faca
that the good sort'of saddler is in com
paratively small supply, says the
Horseman. We have been breeding
trotters, runners, coachers and draft
ers in this country, but for the most
part have been depending on misfts
for our saddlers. This is certainly an
anomalous condition of affairs in
country in which the entire field OF
production is ordinarily covered. Asa
matter of fact the breeding of saddle
horses has been chiefly confined to
Kentucky and Missouri, and some OF
the other southern states to lesser
degree. The old ssblue grass" State
is the nursery of the breed. For fear
that some may not understand why
the word s'breed" is used in this con-
nection it may be said that breed OF
| saddle horses has been evolved that Is
| much more closely confined to one
type than IS the breed of trotters Ken
tucky is entitled to the credit of maxi
ing this breed. 1t was grounded on
the blood of the race horse, and some
hardy eCanuelS" blood and Morg an
blood was mingled in its foundations,
and latterly breeders have been add
ing dash or two of trotting blood,
in order to make their horses more
| valuable in harness For it is a COM
bined horse that has been produced
one that goes equally well under sad
| die and in harness. Some people to
this day sneer at that dual purpose
| idea, but they are misinformed. In
England latterly the practice has been
growing in favor of putting the best OF
/ the hunters in leather betyNeen sea-
! sons. A good saddle horse is not hurt
/ by work in harness. This breed of gated
saddle horses has q pedigree register
that was established some years ago
and is conducted on d strict basis of
1 registration, and the fairs and shows,
/ following the example set by the
/ Columbian, are now beginning to re-
quire registration in that stud book as
a condition of entry in their saddle
classes.
| Saddle-horse trainers in Kentucky
are scarcely out of their buckskins all
winter, but on the approach Of spring
their work is fairly doubled. A saddle
horse is not only born, but he must
have certain amount of making, and
it is this making that requires work,
and plenty Of it. 1t takes lot of labor
| to key trotter up, but it can hardly
be said that the conscientious saddle
horse trainer has much easier time
than the successful developer of speed.
| 1t is no child's play to mouth and man
ner a real saddle horse, and as to gait
| ing him, that takes time, skill and
labor It is fortunate, however, that
/ saddle bred horse will retain his ed
ucation when once acquired SO well
that it must be blundering, heavy
/ handed novice that can not get salts
| faction in his use on the bride path.
The demand from the east for
saddlers is chiefly for what is
called the plain gated kind-those
whose education in gaits has been car
ried only to include the walk, trot and
canter. The east takes its fashion from
England, and the gated horse, or the
single footer as he is generally called,
/ is not in much favor. Some people are
unkind enough to say that it is because
fasteners can not ride well enough to
4 keep racking horse on his gaits, but
this suggestion is hardly acceptable, as
well-trained racker will stick to his
knitting if you merely sit on him and
give him a slight touch of the curb.
Whatever may be the reason for the
preference, it undoubtedly does exist,
although it may fairly be said that
easy-gaited horses are growing in fa-
vor in New York city. Indeed, for two
years past the highest priced saddle
horse sold at public auction in that
city has been a racking horse. The
trade in walk, trot; canter horses opens
up first in the season, and hence Ken
lucky trainers take up the plain gated
ones first and put them through theii
limited PAGES before they do much will
the others. After the plain gated sor
has gone to market, the rsekers art
brought into the barn and the finish
ing touches are put on them.-Colman''
2 Rural World.