Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1901-05-23
THE MISSOURI HORSE.

"This has been a season In the horse
and mule business that stands unsur-
passed in the history of this section, =
said a local dealer. ''While this is a
broad assertion, it is a fact. Never has
been the demand soSgreat and, what
Is more, that demand was limited to
no certain class of horseflesh."
| Very truly spoken it has been an
unusual good season and large ad-
vance is noticeable in the price OF
both horses and mules during the
past year. What has created this de-
mand? In the case of the better and
higher priced horses, it is attributed
to scarcity of this class, and the gen.
eral prosperity Of the community.
The Eastern market has been excep-
tionally good, and even at present,
though in past years considered late
season, advices from these show that
the type of horses suitable are bring
ing prices that few years ago would
have seemed fabulous. At a recent
New York sale of heavy harness horses
of the coachinggtgpes a handsome
horses brought the unprecedented
sum Of 81, ,225, an average Of 81, ,737.
This is said to be by far the best
average ever obtained for like num-
Der Of heavy harness horses at auction,
either in this country or abroad.
Though the animals sold we're a
superb lot the sums paid for them
were beyond expectation, wealthy
horse fanciers bidding from the start
of the collection at race horse prices.
The first ten horses sold brought a
trifie more than $4,000. A single
high stopper brought $500, pair ST.
900 and four-in-hand team $500.
And so it is with all classes Of the
noble equines. In our own section the
advance in the "asking price" has
been noticeable, as it must be said
that the producers Of this section
keep in touch with the conditions
piCNdllliBs
The gated saddle horse, for which
this section of Missouri is famous, has
also been in demand. Sales have been
made at this place that show the pop
ularlty of the easy and comfortable
riding saddle horse. The review OF
the past seasons condition show that
this pure American breed is rapidly
overcoming the Eastern prejudice
and gradually winning for himself the
esteem Of our Yankee cousins. Geo.
L. Clark, Of Merlden, Conn, is In
great way responsible for this. He is
known throughout the East as author
ity on the conditions surrounding the
horse. Through his twenty years Of
fair dealing in the horse business he
has made an enyiable reputation as
horseman and built up trade among
the Eastern horse fanciers that is
lucrative. Mr.. Clark is an ardent
friend of the American-gaited saddle
horse and through his influence many
horses Of our production and fancy
have found homes in the private sta
bles of that section of the United
States. Mr.. Clark, in a late issue of
the american Horse Breeder, the lead
ing horse journal of the East, had an
exceedingly good article in regard to
this class Of saddle horses. 1t shows
thought and wisdom and was compli-
mented by many other leading horse
papers.
1t needs but few advocates like
Mr.. Clark and there will open to us a
class of trade that will prove adyan-
tageous as it is the people that can
afford to pay the high prices for horses
suitable to their fancy.
Mr.. Clark was good, liberal buyer
Of Missouri horses this season, getting
twenty high-class ones that cost him
from $500 to 5000 each. These repre-
sented the best that this section pro-
duces and were all thoroughly broken
and of good individuality and finish.
Another Fastener that stands high
lin the horse affairs of that section and
is a strong believer in the American
gated saddle horse is John A. Sta
Piles, of Newburg, N. Y. In connec-
tion with this may be mentioned the
activity of the American-gaited horse
breeders Of our own vicinity. The
stations in stud duty about here rep
resent the ''cream of the earth" No
section has in its confines the class of
horses that compare with these. At
first thought it would seem that the
number would necessarily divide the
business until neither Of these high
class and high-priced horses would do
lucrative business, but from the
owners from each and every one,
comes the same report that business
is extremely prosperous. Hon. j. A.
Potts explains this pleasant condition
In the fact that the recent advent Of
these high-priced horses Of the sterner
sex, has created a desire on the part
of our breeders to breed to and pro-
duce the best. But in justice to the
many well known breeders Of dis
tance that they, too, appreciate the
good qualities Of the Mexico horses
and are taking advantage Of such;
consequently many mares from quite
distance have been shipped here for
this purpose. But this is for the ben
eft of the future and it is the condt-
tions of the past season that this