Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-08-27

action has taken place and the farmers
are once more breeding horses, the ma
jority of them in the same old way. If
the present methods of horse breeding
are not changed, history will surely re-
peat itself.
Profit BY Others Errors.
Farmers should profit by past mis-.
takes and aim to produce horses for
definite purpose. They should cater
to the demands Of the consumer, who
will take care of the surplus horses.
If one only looks back and studies the
market he will be convinced that there
never was a time even when depression
was at its worst, when good individ-
ual of any of the recognized classes
would not fetch fair price, and the
time is far distant, if it ever comes,
when such will not be the case.
Breed for Definite Purpose.
If horses are bred with definite OBJ
Ject in view the breeder will be seri-
ously affected by over-production.
There has always been and always will
be fair demand for any of the recog-
nized market type of horses. One of
the greatest evils of the horse breeding
business is the patronage of the impure
bred sire, whose services can be had at
low fee. Nothing but pure bred sires
OF the very highest quality should be
used. There are even many pure bred
sires which should never be used for
breeding purposes. just so long as
farmers will patronize inferior ami
male there will be plenty of them in
use. Just so soon as farmers reject
them there will be a noticeable differ
ence in the number of inferior horses
imported from other countries and
kept in this country for breeding pur.
poses.
Most Profit in the Draft Horse.
Under existing conditions there are
at least four distinct classes of horses
which most farmers can profitably pro-
duce. The first and most important is
the heavy draft horse, next the car
rlage or coach horses, the roadster
horse and the saddle horse. There is a
market for other classes of horses at
the present time, but none of them
command very high prices and the
most of them are misfits which are
bound to appear from time to time in
the effort to produce horses of the four
classes mentioned. Such horses as
Chunks" TRAINERS" and "bussers"
are in reality understood draft horses,
and are the result of using draft stall
lion on mares weighing from 1920 to
1,500 pounds.
The heavy draft horse is one of the
most profitable classes of horses that
the farmer can breed. The draft colt
can be bred with less risk and liability
to accident than those of the lighter
classes. This is particularly due to the
fact that the draft-bred colt is usually
quieter animal than those of the
lighter classes, and thus less liable to
injure itself through spirited exercise
or playfulness. Furthermore small
punches and blemishes which detract
SO seriously from the value of the har-
ness or the saddle horse are not con-
sldered to be so Objectionable in the
draft horse. He can also be made to
earn his own keep after he is two years
old, and his education can be complet-
ed on a farm; thus the farmer who
breeds him can secure his real market
value. In the case of the colt or the
saddle horse the middle man who edu-
Gates him usually reaps much great
er profit than the man who produced
him. This is not true of the draft
horse.
Must Have Good Feet.
A draft horse without good feet is
worthless on any market, hence good
feet are the very first essentials of a
draft horse. The hoofs should be
large, round and wide at the heel.
They should have width, but not be too
deep or shallow. The horn should be
of good quality, as indicated by it's
denSenesS The wall must he strnn o