The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-11-19

express companies are increasing the num-
Der of handsome, active horses, the grocers
and tradesmen utilize many OF the cheaper
animals. While few wealthy people own
an automobile, they must have fine horses,
and with the cheap price of vehicles In
America. with so many big factories. al
most everybody has a horse and buggy.
surrey or carriage; while all who can AFFORD
it have handsome coach and carriage
horseS-the prices of which are higher than
ever before known The demand for all
the better classes of horses Is far greater
than the supply. because our farmers be-
came discouraged six or eight years ago
and quit breeding, when panic prices were
below cost of production. and the fear that
the bicycle and electricity would soon dis
place the horse.
With the return of prosperity came the
increased demand for horses, but higher
class and at higher prices. We now have
an era of industrial horses and horses OF
luxury, never before known in the history
of this country. After our civil war in 1863
We discovered We were horse poor, with
millions of little trotters. mules and ranch
ponies We began importing draught horses,
and later the large handsome coach horses,
to increase the size and utility of our Amer
lean horses. We imported these animals
by the thousand from Europe to improve
our own, more literally than any nation
stock. and when prices dropped the export
buyers took fifty thousand TO seventy-flve
thousand year to Europe, until our prices
last year got so high that they could handle
but a few.
With the revival of commercial prosper
ity came the increased demand for good
horses; and with no breeding for few
years the horse buyers soon culled out the
good horses. and we are now in the midst
Farmers rallied to horse-breeding as
prices advanced, and our importers are
again annually importing shiploads of pure
bred stations of the Percheron or French
draught breed, known In the cities as the
Normans; from France some of our I'M
porters brought 200 last year. and brought
still more this year. The importations of
Belgians, English Shires and Scotch Clydes-
horse production. while our importations Of
FEench coach. German coach and hackney
horses is annually growing.
Eight TO ten years ago these stations
would not sell for more than $500 TO $500:
now they readily sell at 5000 to Scooter
times as much. They are chiefly bought by
breeding in different localities of the horse
breeding StateS-Ohio. Indiana, Illinois,
Iowa. Kansas. Nebraska. Minnesota, Wis
consin. Michigan and Missouri. The little
American trotter, while the fastest horse
in the world. bred for speed. but lacking
the size and beauty of carriage and coach
track, much as the thoroughbred is fiji only
for racing. The draught horse is now the
most profitable and most popular horse
with the American farmer. who requires a
good draught team for his farm work. The
little trotters are increased in size and
utility by crossing with the large hand
some coach horses.
The whole world wants more good horses
England. France and Germany cannot sup
ply their cities and their armies. Russia,
with % 100000 horses. has no good horses
for export. America is the only country
from which large supplies may be had, and
when our increased horse production be-
gins TO mature, We can supply the world
as well as own increased market in
terests in all our growing cities. The ex-
port trade will always maintain good prices
for our horses. and while many farmers
may still raise scrubs. the enterprising
American farmers get the best-improved
horses TO be found in the norge breeding
countries of the old world. Now they breed
TO suit the market demand for high-class
horses To supply the markets of the world.