Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1912-08-15

There are a number of c~onsidera- ,
tons for the farmers TO keep in mind
in breeding horses for the draft horse
trade. Among these are that size.
weight, condition and character each
bear an important influence in de-
termining the prices paid on the mar
kets and therefore that this influence
is reflected upon the prices whi~h
they receive from the country ship
pers and buyers, says the Wisconsin
Agriculturist. Nothing that influences
the large central markets for the prod
ucts OF the farm fails 10 affect the
sale of a single article directly on the
farm.
Probably the one thing which the
general run of horses that reach the
markets lack more often than any
other is size and incidentally there
fore weight. 1t is stated from good
authority that there are more good
horses marketed in the Union Stock
Yards at Chicago than any other
place in the United States, and yet
Of the 100, 900 horses marketed there
not more than $4,000 would weigh
over 1850 pounds, and not more than
5000 were what would be termed Al
horses. First class draft horses for
the city trade should not weigh less
than 1000 pounds when in working
condition. and If they weigh 1850
pounds they will satisfy all the better.
To carry such weights horses should
stand about 16 hands high or over
and should have conformations in
proportion.
The condition OF a horse is dll i'm
portant. both as to s%oundness and
thrift. Horses that have poor feet,
bad hooks. weak wind, or poor Shout
ders are sticklers on the market. They
sell very slowly and at very low
prices. SO also do horses that are in
a poor condition OF thrift. Fat always
helps 10 sell horses quickly and at
good prices, for it makes them look
good and the horses, moreover, do not
need to be conditioned before they
can be put TO work. A horse which
looks thin when it leaves the farm is
liable TO look considerably thinner
after it has been shipped and arrives
at the sales stables. Fat horses ship
far better han thin. thriftless ones.
Then. too. the suspicion of being q
poor doer on the best of care is liable
TO attach itself to the thin horse in
the mind of the buyer, whereas when
he looks upon a well conditioned
horse no such suspicion occurs to him.
Character is a valuable asset 10
any horse that is placed IN the mar.
ket, and like size and weight is gen
orally lacking in the usual stock OF
horses to be selected from in the
country. A horse that elbows intelli
gence. good breeding and those qual
tiles that come through careful.
handling and good training will out
/, sell the common, plain looking horse.
by a considerable margin; size
| weight and condition being otherwise
alike.
, The man on the farm engaging II
horse production from the viewpoin
l of dollars and cents and anxious L
make his acres earn the highest ne
returns should breed his mares to TIL
best sires that are available combln
ing size. weight, soundness and chai
: acter. and should breed TO them con
s~istently. They should endeavor ais
as soon as possible, either by pun
b chase or by breeding up, to posses
+ themselves of big drafty mares con
/ bining those qualities. The only re
grettable thing about the sale Of tn
s dapple gray mares on the Januar
II. 1912 Chicago horse marAet 10
$1,000. is hat the mares were nc
purchased by some good farmer 10 D
used for breeding and farm work pul
Is poses instead of by n Chicago teamin
II firm to draw a big wagon. 1t is r.
q prettable that they should ever hav
Il gotten away from the farm, for
d they were worth $1,000 for drawing
o big wagon and heavy loads, certainl
Is they were worth that on he tari
IL where they could do work to ear
their cost of maintenance and rails
u colts worth $1,000.
u The economy of the heavy mare O
y the farm. both from the standpoint
e. doing farm work and producing col
= compared with light and mediui
weight mares is nicely summed up {
follows by Secretary Dinsmore OF Il
Percheron Society of America; III
r. cost of maintenance under farm co
I'd ditions is about the same, the hea'l'
mares are more efficient in the woi
20 of the farm. the colts are ready Il
IL. work a year younger. and If carrie
Il to the same age, will bring abo'
twice as much as the colts from Il