The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-05-01
THE HORSE
THE AMERICAN HORSE.


Each year seems to add some new evil
dence of the superior advantages that
the climate, soils and feeds of this
western continent are able to exert in
building up a horse of great energy
and endurance.
The American horse dates back in
his origin to the discovery of the
country by Christopher Columbus,
when it is said this country was en-
tirely horseless. The progress in horse
population and horse Improvement
which has followed the introduction
of civilization, has been in proportion
to the needs and demands of a man in
his work of Improvement and cultiva-
ton.
The American horse in blood and
breeding has been subject to condi-
tons of eXpediency that did not adj
nit, in all cases, of the present day
type and breed adherence that many
horse breeders and fanciers regard as
valuable in the offspring. The cross
ing of breeds and the intermingling of
blood of the various types indicating
great variation of breeds has been a
common practice with the American
breeders. The heavy horse of the
draft type has been for generations
used in building up more size to the
smaller kinds of horses, the little ami,
mails that are below the utility size.
This system or plan of breeding up
has been carried on almost from the
beginning of the horse raising indus
try in America.
The native or beginning horse stock
of the United States has many addi-
tons and advantages of good strains
of blood introduced by importations of
stations from the old country. These,
in many instances, have been of the
very best, varying in character from
the thoroughbred to the big, logy draft
horse. The tendency of the common
horse raiser in this country has been,
until very recently, to breed from any
thing in the form of stallion, con-
venience and cheapness governing his
actions more than quality, or a fixed
type of recognized breed.
The market for good horses of all
kinds has never been in a more
healthy, encouraging condition for the
breeder and horse handler than now.
The evidences on all sides points to a
shortage in the supply of horses, such
as are required to carry on the neces-
sary horse power of the business and
commercial affairs of trade in every
day. 1t is folly to think that the
time is near at hand when horse power
will be dispensed with, because better
and cheaper means of service can be
substituted.
The horse is the safest, surest, most |
economical power to use in the short |
hauls and local transfer of merchan-
disc, that can be had. The work of
changing and moving of merchandise
and all lines of goods in and about
cities and towns to freight storage
centers and long-distance shipping de-
pots, is such that the horse and wagon
cannot be disposed with for day
even.
The big, sturdy reliable draft horse
accommodates himself to all kinds of
conditions that are possible to come
up in the line of labor in which his lot
is cast. 1t is very seldom he is dis
abled or required to go to the shop for
repairs. He is not being outclassed,
and every year rendered valueless
by some little improvement or patent
gotten out that aids in operation and
application of power He can be con-
Nerted to many uses when he ceases
to be active as a drawer of heavy
loads. His whole life is one of
service and value to his owner.
The opening up of railroads and.
the building of transportation lines of
the various kinds only add to the de-
mand for the draft horse. The more
business in the commercial world, the
more horses it will require to carry
on that part of labor that cannot be
successfully handled by machinery.
AS time moves on, as improvements
come and go, the draft horse will be-