The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-11-14

Not being a horsemaD, this grain
farmer should confne his efforts to thu
production OF such classes of horses q
require only plenty of good feed anC
care, but little or no artificial develop
ment. He is admirably adapted to thu
business OF raising heavy horses
though he will not care to keep 1900
pound mares for farm work. He car
use 1900 to 1900 pound mares
which, if good mixers, with the proper
size, will produce ar excellent class o.
heavy horses. With the right sires
he can keep and proftably use a class
of mares that will produce good deliv
cry horses, hack and bus horses, and
a fair grade of gentlemen's drivers. AL
these horses will need to be developed
after leaving the farm, but it can pro
duce the raw material, and ought &c
do it.
1 would emphasize the Importance
of good sires. These mares will not be
purely bred animals; they would be
too expensive. They Will be simply
good, vigorous, specimens, capable of
giving plenty of milk. The quality
must come from the SIRE, where quail
ity means 9 mosG, because one ami.
NAL can imparE it TO many. Such as
socia lions as these can render the horse
interests a valuable serv.c3 by using
every influence to hasten the day Of
81 alIion inspection and license here in
America. This farmer we are c0nsid.
ering is not a horseman; that is, is not
able to detect the slightest faults Of
animals. The hook may be slightly
too narrow, or the leg a little crooked,
or the bcne not quite fat enough, or
the loin a little light, and he will not be
able to detect it. I know a farmer
who considers himself something Of q
horsemaD, who yet did not notice q
hind leg Of q colt 30 poor at the hook
that it was certain to go to pieces. /
know a part bred Percheron stallion
that is considered a great horse with
the farmers because he takes fat like a
hog and has a heavy, arching neck, but
his sickle hook gives him a leg SO bent
as to entirely di: qualify him in the eye
Of even a fair judge. S do other parts
escape the notice of a class of good men
who are not at all ignorant, but whose
Information and expert knowledge lie
alone other lines.
The Inspector and the law should
help them out As it is now, the owner
il a strictly first class, we'll bred and
registered stallion has no chance out
Dver the country as compared with the
Dwner OF a part bred horse that will
atten readily, and that, costing but a
racGion of the other, can be stood for
)erhas only two or three dollars less
md get all the custom. This compels
he owner Of the good stallion to cut
orIcas 60 a point where, in order to
ecure decent returns, so much service
3 taken as to render next TO worthless
large shar5 Of the colts gotten. We
hall produce plenty OF tcalawa horses
Until the part-bred stallion Is driven
ut OF business, and thai will be done
By q system of inspection. It
oses as mucn TO raise a poor horse as
{ does a good one. The deficient hook
r loin is not a thing that takes less
6ed. 1t is no element Of cheapness
InClI il comes before the old horseman
q the great markets, and the general
.orse raiser must Oe insured against !
If o vn fo0lishness in this matter by a
borough system OF Inspe ction. Until
hat time comes, the great breeders
nd improvers OF horses will be subject
0 a ruinous competition from part
red stations.
The system that has been in vogue
as produced some good horses, out it
as produced many more poor cnes
ne horse is a highly developed ami
lal, and all his parts are developed far
eyond their natural State. Ii, IL q
iven individual, n part is not fully
eveiCp9d, iG cannot stand the strain
ut upon it by the other and better dc
parts, and it is with a horse as
vith a chain, Dr. a tile drain, the WIZ le
no better than the poorest SPIT.
What a mixed and heterogeneous mass
[ horse-fesn wa have been guilty of
reducing! And yet the s%tatlioneer
nd the Law are more to blame Than
he farmer.
The horse raiser should tx his mind
etinitely upon The class of horse that
q proposes to produce, chose his stall
On R~c.nr6inplv and demand 1,nnrn him