Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1907-11-28
5THEFUTURE
4 OF THE
! HORSE.
Not Ii kelly to BE Sup
plan ted to Any DAM
aging Extent BY
Ma Obi q Power
J w. INGHAM, Sugar Run. Pa.

some, hardy, useful animal His quail
ification and mental endowment are
or superior order, and capable of
high cultivation. He has a character
for courage, patient endurance, gentle
ness and tractability not excelled by
any other of our domestic animals.
His senses Of smell and sight are re-
markedly acute, and his memory is
excellent. He has been in the SER
vice of mankind from the earliest
ages of which we have any account.
He has carried the soldier in battle
and drawn the plough of the farmer
In peace. Volumes might be written
on the horse and the subject not be
exhausted, but my purpose now is
not to eulogiZe the horse SO much as
to speculate on his value in the fu-
ture. Is the day of his destiny over?
When in most of the cities and large
towns of the civilized world horses
were driven from the street cars by
that mysterious, wonderful power
electricity, and expelled from nearly
all the stage routes by the iron horses
breathing steam from their nostrils,
it was confidently predicted that the
day of the equine was over, and that
henceforth, like the buffalo from the
western plains, and the deer from
the eastern hills, the horses must
CO." The breeding of draft horses, at
least, it was feared would soon be
numbered among the lost arts, though
sportsmen might continue to raise
racehorses and trotters for riding and
racing. The displacement of so many
horses by steam and electricity, and
the fear that the automobile would
displace a still greater number, Great
ed more alarm among farmers and
horse breeders than the circum-
stances warranted. Farmers are said
to be the most conservative people
in the world, but history shows that
they are more easily frightened at
fall in prices, and in consequence
quicker to change their lines of bust
ness, than any other class. Some
curtailment in the horse raising was
no doubt proper, but the extensive
quitting of the business which took
place was unreasonable In the year
1895 there were nearly sixteen mil
lion horses in the United States, and
the farm price was an average of
$3629. In 1896 (only one year later
the number had fallen off 769, 900, but
the average farm price had raised to
$45 head.
The low price in the United States
attracted English and German buyers.
In the three years of 1898, 1894 and
1895 1856 horses were purchased
market and were landed in England.
Several thousand were exported to
Germany. The number of horses in
the United States in the year 1905,
as reported to the Department of
Agriculture, was $18,71S,57S, it being
the largest number on record, and the
average farm price a head was $S0.75.
No animals have ever been so SER
viceabIe in war as horses, and until
the swords shall be beaten into
ploughshares and men shall learn war
no more there will be a demand for
army horses. Elephants were used
in battle by the ancients, put they
were easily terrified by fire and
turned back to trample down their
friends. Horses are indispensable in
war and have helped to fight the bat
ties in all ages of the world. Job
describes the warhorse with an elo-
auence which has never been excell
ed. HE smelleth the battle afar
off, he paweth the valley and re-
joiceth in his strength: he goeth forth
to meet the armed men; he mocketh
at fear and it not affrighted; neither
turneth he back from the sword
Other sacred writer's speak of "a
sword upon their horses and upon
their chariots;' with threescore
thousand horsemen;" with the hoofs
of his horses shall he tread down thy
Streets" CAS- a horse rusheth into
battle" Mules will do for army
transportation, but it must be remem-
bered that horses must be kept in
considerable numbers to raise mules.
Only horses viii do to mount the
cavalry, and only good ones will be
bought for that purpose, and it is
sound, light draft horses in good con-
dition, adapted to omnibus work in
the cities, that are wanted in Eng
land.
AS wealth increases in our country
and becomes more generally diffused
(as it is sure to be- a multitude of
good speedy horses will be required
for pleasure driving and horseback
riding. The latter is one of the
healthiest exercises for people who
are not strong or out of health, and
is bound to become fashionable and
be practised by large number Of
people of both sexes. Automobiles VIII
continue to be used by the wealthy,
who can afford to keep an expert
enced and careful man to handle them
and keep them in good running or
der, but they are too expensive, too
troublesome and too dangerous for
general use in the country. Forum
ately for the horses, they have been
retired from the dusty, norse-killing
thrashing machine, but that they will
never be driven from the plough is
proven by the failure of the steam
ploughs which have been on trial for
more than forty years without COM
ing into general use anywhere. Even
on the vast level prairies of the west
they have been tried and abandoned.
When free mail delivery becomes
general throughout the United States,
as it soon will, a vast number of
horses will be required by the de-
Iiverers for making their trips. Auto
mobiles will not be used by them
because they cost more than horses
and are more likely to be delayed and
fail to make the trip.
In my judgment farmers should
continue to raise horses in the future
as they have in the past, for horses
will be wanted until the taxletree' of
IL