The Washington herald., 1910-01-16
by L. ID. SALE.


much in the way Of jogging.
Horses destined for early engagements
must necessarily be kept hard. The
Speedway during the = al, has been in
such a sloppy condition that nurse own
ers and trainers have been compelled to
use the pathway in Potomac Park. This
fact may prove later on to be fortunate
for horses and owners for the Speedway
when in condition is always an incentive
20 turn loose more speed than is good
Tor horses at this season of the year
The horse market at this point Is al
ways duh in January. Inquiry among
dealers would indicate that it is unusu-
ally dun the present month. There is
promise, however. Of brisler movement
next month, especially in the way Of
heavy draft horses The Bensinger Horse
Bazaar Company, Of which Gilbert Ben
singer Is the active representative. and
which firm handles the highest type of
draft, coach. park. saddle, delivery. and
speed horses, has in hand an order for
ANtb pan > VI AtaN Ld4lE ~ WEIGH ttVA
less than 1850 pounds each, to be deliv-
cred not later than next month The
limit of price fixed by the buyer was
s., 100. The order was refused because
the firm could not MI it at the price de-
manded, $3.50 for the four being the
limit on the part Of the firm
Probably no dealer in horsefesh in the
District of Columbia is possessed OF
kcener insight as 20 horse conditions
everywhere than the elder Bensinger
lie has bought and sold. horses Of all
types Tor the past thirty years I'm all
parts Of the country Like his son Gil
bert he is not at all pessimistic as TO
the future of the horse market. Mr.
Samuel Bensinger admits that. owing to
the increased demand for automobiles,
there has been a falling of in the de-
mand for high-class coach and driving
horses. He is not willing TO go on rec
ord at present as TO just how long the
slump IS 10 last bat It is his opinion that
the machine-driven delivery wagons have
thus far proved d failure and that per-
sons using them will eventually be com
PEELED 10 fan back on horse-drawn vehi-
cles.
The future of the speed horse and the
saddle horse he thinks is safe. Thus far
the automobile has not affected the de-
mand or the price. On the contrary. the
demand is excellent and the price high
and firm. Thus far. he says. the auto
mobile has not penetrated the Southern
States 10 the extent it has in the North.
All classes of horses are in steady de-
mand in the South, and conditions prom
Use to remain the same for some time TO
come. All Of the other dealers about
town seem 10 coincide with the Benslng-
eTs as regards the horse market.
This is the season of the year when
owners Of brood mares are considering
the important question as TO which horse
they shall breed. In the draft line there
have been Of late years so many impor-
tauons from France. Belgium. Germany,
and England OF stations and mares that
the heavy draft breeder can hardly go
tattile9. AlD man no utAOltS nlInStlI 10
the production of horses weighing all the
way from 1900 10 200 pounds or over
can reap a harvest. Such horses at the
proper age fetch in horse marts when
properly shaped up all the way from $500
to $1,000. All of the big beef and brew
cry concerns Of the country. as well as
other concerns which use horses for ex-
IRENE heavy draft, have agents who are
constantly on the alert for such horses
and who stand ready TO pay the top price
for them. London, Birmingham. and
other industrial centers of Great Britain
have representatives in the United States
on the lookout for horses Of the type
mentioned. Owing to the character of
our soil and its virginity, as compared
with the older used soils Of Europe,
horses grow larger bone and to greater
size than elsewhere. Even the Shetland
pony. midget in the Orkney Isles. takes
on a larger growth. which fact has driv-
en- many breeders OF the little horses ont
Of business, as the fashion is for the
more tiny ones
The light-harness horse Industry In the
United States exceeds that Of any other
industry devoted to the horse. The latest
report from the Bureau of Animal In
dustry shows that the whole number of
registered horses Of all breeds I'm the
United States is more than SD0,CGo OF
this number over 100000 are trotters, the
Eght-harness horses Outnumbering BY a
large margin thoroughbreds, hackneys.
French and German COachers. Percheron.
shires and Clydesdale drafters. Shet-
land ponies, saddle-bred horses, SC.
When it is recalled to mind that not one
standard bred uotter IN five is ever reg
istered, the full significance Of the gov
eminent statistics is apparent. It is fair
to state that there are more than 1904, 600
trotting-bred horses in the United States.
There is every indication, in spite Of
changing conditions, that the production
Of light-harness horses is on a stable
basis in this country. The boom DAYS,
when fabulous sums were paid for young
sters before they had shown anything
warranting the price for which they sold.
the price being regulated largely by the
fact that they were standard bred" Is
happily past. The American trotter OF
to-day is better bred than the trotter of
The early sos. If breeders have made
ali error in his production. 1t has been
IN the sacrifice of individuality for speed.
What every breeder should aim at Is in
diyiduality and speed. The late Cicero
D. Hamlin, Of Buffalo. n Y, was a
truer exponent Of that creed than any
other breeder of his time or since.
His horses went in the show rings and
captured the ribbons; on the race track
they captured their share OF the purses.
The Aurora Farm horses held. one time
or another. worlds records. The Abbot.
The Monk. Fantasy, all brilliant turf
stars, to say nothing of that great rare