The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-31
AGRICULTURAL.

AGRICULTURAL.
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SELECTION IN HORSE BREEDING
There are indications that after con-
siderable period OF depression the breed
ing Of horses in this country is to be
resumed, and 1t is to be hoped that the
We have in number of articles indi
Gated what. in our Judgment. was the
first step in breeding horses as they
ought to be bred. 1t consists. in brief.
Of the use OF the hest sire OF the desired
type within reach en- the best brood
mares that can be obtained. But. as
the work progresses. those who at
tempt to grow horses and who recog-
nize the necessity for. growing good
ones, should firmly fix In mind the im-
portance of selection in any breeding
operations that are to be attended with
success. A decade ago the country was
full of imported stations of the draft
and coacher breeds, and among them
were great many good ones. They
were used, too, in serving at least some
good brood mares, and In view of the
pains that have been taken to secure
good blood in this way, ones first
feeling in regard to the present stu
alton is one OF disappointment that
the horses of the country have not been
improved thereby. Examine the prac-
tice, however. and the reason becomes
obvious Those who grew good colts
permitted themselves to be tempted by
the $40, $25 or $50 more that they would
bring than anybody was willing to pay
for the poor ones, and the consequence
was that they sold everything they had
that was worth selling, and kept for
their own use the stuff that nobody
would buy. They parted with the cream
to the horse buyer and retained the
skim milk for their own use. %
When any breeder undertakes to ham
die and improve herd of cattle he
keeps the best and sells the culls. The
three or four top pigs that breeder Of
swine grows in season are not for sale
If he is breeder who is working for
knows he must retain them in order to
make Improvement. The same thing Is
true in breeding horses. Suppose heavy
ones are wanted and the farmer has
two or three or four good mares on
which, by the use Of sire of the right
type. he can grow colts that will aver
age 1.400 pounds. Each year he will
have one or two that will weigh 1900
pounds at a given age. If they are fill
lies. and he will retain them, his aver
age from them when they come to be
of breeding age, will probably be 1900
pounds or upwards and his tops will go
1,600pounds or more; and If he will con-
tinue to be guided by this idea Of selec-
ton in the direction he desires to go,
he will at length reach weights as
great as he cares to have them. This.
however, is not what in the past the
growers of horses did. instead of re-
taining their l,500-pound colts for their
own use. they probably sold, from the
top down. everything that the horse
buyer would take, and what ne would
not take they kept for their own use.
This being the general practice. 1t is
not hard to tell why, in spite of the
former liberia, use OF improved blood.
so little improvement is visible In the
character Of the horses kept on the
farm.
The old experience ought to furnish
It's lesson for the horse breeding opera
lions Of the future. II draft horses are
bred for. sell the Feldings and the culls.
but keep the good FLIES that have draft
horse weight and substance: II coachers
are sought. retain the Allies that have
size. style and action-just the kind
the horse buyer Will tempt you 10 sell
II he can-and And Q market for the rest
OF the produce. Upon whatever lines
one Is working. II any forward move
ment Is to be expected. those colts that
best I'LL the ideal sought should be re-
tanned. Progress may then be reason.
ably hoped for, but without selection II
- vain "a exnect it-Homestead