Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1905-01-27
GatechiSm for HOrSemen

The Farmer and Breeder: Are not
the keynote to good horse breeding?
Is 10 a good horse with a good short
pedigree preferable for breeding pur-
poses, to a poor one with a long pedi-
gree, that is to say, is not any good
horse preferable to a ''pedigreed
scrub?"
is it not true hat good individuality
is frequently sacrificed for the sake OF
pedigree2 that is to. say pedigree Is
oveworked and individuality under
worked.
Is IL not true that If this order was
reversed and proper type and good i'm
diyiduality made the leading thought
and practice, would not the quality OF
the horse be greatly improved?
is 1t not true that before the days of
stud books all the Improvement made
in horses was made from the stand
point of individuality and selection
without regard to breeding, and the
first stud 9 c.-e- Rad Sc: aas brad
Of draft horses was made for CONNER
cial and not breeding purposes?
While ii is conceded that registration
is a good thing, is 1t not true. as 1t is
now conducted, 1t encourages the pro-
duction OF what Is Familiarity known as
a thoroughbred scrub?"
This animal lis very damaging In that
his scrub qualities have been fixed by
a long systematic PROCESS, and farther,
is ii not true that ii the various regis
try associations had adopted an appro-
pirate type and standard including size,
conformation, style and soundness, and
admitted nothing to the registers that
did not fulfill the requirements? and
when the produce OF these recorded
horses appear for record subject them
TO the same rigid examination and
wedding out process, would not the re-
corded horses OF the country present a
different appearance from what they do
now? The recorded horses would not
have to he tagged to tell them from the
common stock.
No man can demonstrate that there Is
any antagonism in the blood Of animals
intended for the same or similar pur-
poses. It Is conceded that when the
best specimens OF the American Trot-
ter and the Orliffor Russian Trotter
are bred together, the result is almost
invariably a faster animal than either
parent.
Now, Why is this? is 1t not because
the weat points of the one are strength
ened by the strong points OF the other
and vice versa?
Again, would any one suspect for a
moment that the judicious breeder In
Russia would reject this speedier ami
NAL from his breeding stud because he
had a cross from the American trotter?
He would simply think that he was
that many points ahead, and so he
would he. Cannot this principle be APP
piled TO every type OF horse except the
English thoroughbred? The reason
this principle cannot be applied to this
morse is. because he is ahead of every
other horse In his line OF work, viz. the
gallop or run.
In view of the fact that the horse Is
he most plastic of any of the domestic
animals In the hands of the breeder.
he having departed farther from
he original type thar any other ami
nay and having differentiated into
more different sizes, forms and types
han other domestic animals. except
perhaps the dog. These traits in the
aorse give the breeders great hopes of
he future. The so-called breeds Of
lorses are about in the same stage OF
development as the various breeds OF
.orn, large In the aggregate but Lack
nc in distinctness IN dsslrable and