The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-12-15

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with a large and vigorous thorough
BRIDE horse. This was the way the
bred horse. rbts was the way the
they breed hunters in ireland to this
day, for very few OF the famous leap.
ers from the Emerald Isle lay claim
to pure blood. but the half or three
quarter-bred dam Of some great per-
former is as VOL known and we'll
thought OF as though her name were
written large In the studbook. The
economic question In all time Is
whether or not 1t pays to breed light
weights. and the answer Is that 1t
does not. since It costs as much to
breed. raise and train q lightweight
as 1t does u heavy. while the average
price Of the latter is more than three
fold the average price OF tho former.
Excellent Types.
The pictures published above are of
hunters which are considered the very
pick OF those that follow the Pytchley
pack. and II will be noticed that while
all show a rare trace OF blood and
breeding, they all possess stout bone.
well-rounded barrels. short backs. and.
indeed, all OF the weight carrying pro-
clivlties. To the writer's mind Cat
thorpe" is about as fine picture of an
extreme heavy weight carrier. as one
can hopeS to find, and it Is doubtful
If such horse could be duplicated to-
day at any price In Virginia. Indeed
every one OF the illustrations above
study by every breeder In Virginia.
for horses bred along these lines are
Obliged to bring large prices, and a
ready sale Is always to be found for
such examples.
The United States government, hh
The United States government.
through Its Department of Agricul-
ture; has taken up the question Of the
breeding of hunters. and has pub-
subject.
Probably the most interesting part
OF the paper is that which relates tn
the feeding and management Of the
foal. the carrying OF the colt through
the first winter, and the Development
and education OF the youngster into n
hunter. The article reads In part an
follows:
Feeding and Management OF the Foal.
One OF the most vital points to he
observed in the successful production
OF hunter horses Is the proper care
and nourishment the foal. While good
breeding Is Indispensable, good feeding
and management arc OF equal Import
ance, rs the size and conformation of
the horses are more or less deter
mined by the proper and continuous
nourishment OF the animal while
young. This is especially true since the
general tendency for horses of this
class is to be understzed: thus every
effort should be made to promote regu.-
lar. uniform growth from the date of
birth until maturity.
All successful; breeders strongly en-.
phaslzed this point, AND stated that in
their observations poor feeding of
young animals, especially after wear
Ing time, had been the cause OF much
disappointment on the part of small
farmers in their efforts to produce
useful hunter horses
Grain Feeding.
The best farmers and breeders prac-
tlce the grain feeding OF foals. In
addition to the mothers milk, from the
time the foal Is about three weeks old.
Personal observation leads the writer
to believe that the best horses are
started In this manner. 1t has nos
been found a difficult task to teach the
foal to eat some finely crushed oats
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those foals whose dams ars regularly
worked AT the beginning but very lit-
tic of such feed Is given. As the foai
grows older and becomes larger the
amount Is gradually increased, until
at four months old from three to four
pounds are fed daily. In accordance
with the conditio' OF the colt and the
amount OF milk furnished by the dam.
This grain ration. in addition to the
mothers milk. produces a strong. WELL
developed, vigorous foal. which. when
weaned from its mother at five and
one-half or six months old grows right
along without any setback.
After. weaving. the foal IS fed Us
regular allowance of grain. and, In
addition, has the run OF grass lot
during the day and q comfortable, Well
bedded boX stall, with some good hay
to eat during the night, This method
Is practicod during the more favorable
fall months.
Wlntcring FORKS.
Spectn, attention is given to the
lwintering Of foals. Shelter and warmth
| Is regarded as being fully as impor-
liant as good feeding, Allowing tohls
to run out All winter Is regarded as
being fatal error, as u usually causes
| the foal to get setback from which
III seldom RECEIVERS, While abundance
fof fresh mir and out-of-door exercise
are given during favorable weather.
yet comfortably bedded. warm box
stalls arc highly 4rccommended for
night use and during unfavorable
weather.. The winter rations consist
of liberal allowance of good mixed
hay for roughage and crushed oats and
lbran for the grain ton. Some OF
the most successful horse producers