Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-12-25


the attention of farmers for many
years, a subject that has been discussed
by many shrewd farmers for the last
decade with diversity OF opinion.
Many years since, the prevailing opinion
was that the general purpose horse was
the horse for the farmers to raise; and
what they called the general purpose
horse was an old fashioned horse, about
1900 pounds, rather leggy, plain in con
formation, usually long in the back.
with light bone, a sort of half way be
tween the driver and the work horse,
therefore hardly suitable for either
uses. This horse the farmer used for
working and to drive on the road, and
called him very good horse. No doubt
this kind of horse answered the pur-
pose of years ago, but circumstances
have changed; a different demand has
arisen. This kind of horse at the
present day is the most Improbable
horse the farmers can raise. eis no
market horse, and proves poor In
vestment when offered for sale. He is
| not sought after as farm horse any
more. The idea of general purpose
horse was exploded long ago. The
farmer wants class horses of the better
quality, higher class. What is known
as Glass No. 3, the omnibus or express
horses, Glass 4, the light and heavy draft,
is a far superior horse for the farmer in
all general use, and is also one of the
two most salable classes of horses that
is offered in all markets, both for ex-
port and all American uses, and is two
of the strictly class horses that are in
strongest demand, and sell readily for
the best prices. These are two very
profitable classes of horses for farmers
| to raise.
| A great change has come over US in
these later years. During the last ten
years the horse industry has been en-
tirely revolutionized. Since '93, the
great export demand has been introduc-
ed, for the best classes and quality of
u AucllChu uUloSS. anu uSlu6uu
which has been the life of our trade,
has been the great outlet for our horse
market, and at the same time has fixed
a specific type and demand for export.
The American demand has 60 changed
the evolution of the last ten years, as
since the early 90's, the same classes
that are in demand for export are the
only kinds that are profitable to raise,
| for American, as well ,as export mar
kets, This great evolution of the last
ten years, has changed the whole horse
breeding problem, and although cost
ly lesson to the farmers and breeders of
horses that had large stocks on hand at
that time, has not been altogether
without its benefits.
1t has taught us one continual lesson
for all those years while this change has
been going on; that horses must be bred
strictly Of their own class, and every class
a distinct type of its class, and any vari-
ation from strictly class system means
failure in horse raising. While in form
or times breeding was done promiscous-
ly. without proper training or fore
thought, of the kind of horse the mar
ket demanded, and in this way all kinds
of horses were produced, from the best
down to the most worthless, small,
plain, ordinary and rough horses, com.
lprised the larger percent of the num-
ber of horses bred and raised.
The effects of this promiscous bleed
ing without any system of forethought
can be seen all over our country. True
the class horses of the better quality
have been culled out by horse buyers,
and have gone to market, but the
scrubs, culls and misfits are still left in
the country. But very small percent
of horses all over the country, far and
near, that are now left on hand, will
ever make market horses. Breeding
has commenced now in small way
throughout the country, on more true
principle, and farmers and breeders
have few young ones coming on, that
they have started right, or started on
the class system, and will be high class
horses when old enough to market. at
the same time wherever you find horses
throughout the whole country that
, have age, enough for the market, as a
rule you will find the most worthless lot
of culls that the country could be infest-
ed with. Gointo any part of the horse
raising section through the middle
west, and you will find very low grade
of aged horses, that is almost disgrace
to the farm they are owned on. Go to the
! best horse raising sections In Kentucky
and Tennessee, and there you will find
a very small percent of the right kind
. and class of horses, the balance being
the most worthless lot of culls that are
t eating up the feed that ought to bs
; used in raising and feeding bettel
i class of stock.
But the farmers have had q severe les
son and are beginning to profit. by it BY
breeding better class ofhorses. Thei
SAPcAAOhSo LOS souShs SuCAA tuug every
! horse should be bred of certain typ,
: and of specific class, with all the size
Q shape and quality that the market de
q mands. The small horse is a thing O
n the past. He has proven very unsat
t isfactory Investment. The grade ha
) been raised higher every year durin,
h the last few years, and each successiv
: year requires larger horse, and one o
Q better quality to meet the demands o
t the market, and he must be horse o
d his own class, an up-to-date marke
: horse.
Farmers institutes and breeding as
II sociations for the last few years hav
8 taken up this subject, and they hsv
o done most wonderful good work, an
Q breeders of all kinds of stock have bee
n aroused to a sense of duty to the grea