The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1909-04-15
THE HORSE
HORSE SUPPLY FOR THE ARMIES.

HORSE SUPPLY run lite HnWIES.
A recent interview with Maj. Wood
of the quartermaster's department OF
the u. S. army, that shows the difficult
ty which c%onfronts the government IN
securing cavalry remounts and out
lines the new policy which is being
tried to meet the requirements, is
of decided interest to horse breeders
of this country.
The new system in this country is
to purchase sound animals OF the
proper type at the age of two years,
send them to a remount depot and at
this remount depot have them broken
properly for cavalry uses and, when
fully matured, send them where need
ed. If stations for this purpose are
established in different parts of the
country, ranchers will be encouraged
to breed animals for cavalry uses be-
cause of the market which they Will
have when the animals are still young
and before the breeders have beer
at the expense of feeding them for two
or three additional years.
Maj. Wood points out that, in the
Judgment of many familiar with the
subject, the animal with a strain of
thoroughbred is best fitted for army
uses. Considering the worlds short
age of cavalry horses, the assured
market and the high price which can
be obtained for them, it would seem
that the thoroughbreds in the Unit
ed States will not be wasted, even If
an end should be put to race track
gambling. There is use for the thor
oughbred blood in breeding horses for
the cavalry. The difficulty which is
being had in this country is one COM
mon to all countries of the world at
the present time. In many European
countries the government itself has
been forced to enter the field and to
establish breeding farms of it's own,
as we'll as to encourage by liberal
treatment other breeders of horses
suitable for army purposes.
Concerning the same subject, the
British Columbian says:
Some alarm is being expressed by
persons whose opinions are entitled
to respect, that the supply of horses
in the British Empire is becoming
perilously small. This stringency is
not being felt in times of peace, but
it would be q source of danger
should a war occur.
1t is pointed out that the horse is
disappearing from England. The
returns of the board of trade afford
the evidence that the horse is becom-
ing a minor factor in urban transport
tatiOn and in pleasure driving. In
London the motor trans, omnibuses
and taxicabs have all put the cabby
with his sway backed horse-the sub.
ject of many a cruel jest in the comic
prints-out of business. The leisure
world is abandoning the horse for the
swifter moving motor car.
High priced racing horses are still
bred, but the ordinary animal that
once did the work of all England is
nearly done for. England is a country
of good roads. Hence the farmers
also are getting rid of their horses,
and adopting the motor truck, which
carries a much greater load. 1t is
economy for them.
Commenting on these conditions,
the Ottawa Citizen says: The army
is alarmed over the prospect. Mounts
for the cavalry are hard to get at all
times. During the South African war
the Beers with their long-range rifles
diSmounted almost the whole British
army. RemOunts were sought first at
home and when this source of supply
was exhausted, in far countries. The