Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-25
100000 HORSES SOLO
CANADIAN BREEDER THINKS
THAT NUMBER SENT TO WAR
Tells OF Purchases by English, French.
Italian and Greeks-PructfruIly
None Left in This Country.

Nothing could give a more lucid OF
expressive condition of affairs in this
country In connection with the horse
breeding industry than the following
letter from John r. Ryan the head Of
the CANADIAN Breeding Bureau. the
leading spirit in the overseas Export
Company Of Canada and principal in
The International Expectation Company
Of New York. The experiences of Mr.
Ryan have placed him IN touch with
every detail in the horse breeding
world
The figures quoted are gathered
from official sources. 10 which Mr..
Ryan has every access His dcscrip-
work has been cleaned from practt-
cal connection with the inspectors OF
almost every belliEcrcnt country, as
we'll ms American experts.
Ills letter shows the actual need OF
horse breeding cn"oura cement. and de
termimes tina; preparedness is ALSO.
Iuteiy necessary IN times OF peace
Under the existing fretful condition Of
this country and the probabilities OF
war. IL Is almost deplorable To learn
tary horses. few are to he obtained.
The excessive call upon this country
has depleted the stock 10 such extent
that IL has deprived us of nearly ali
the good material in that line We
have sold our last loaf. rs il were
and nowhere TO turn IL buy another
The horse situation has become a mat
ter of most serious Importance and de
mands tho immediate consideration OF
the Federal ami state governments
Mr.. Ryan gives the following inter
es,inE and impressive facts:
Regarding the total number Of
horses shipped from tho United states
during this war. my estimate is that
France and England alone have taken
l,Sl5.0oo horses from October s, 1914.
TO February /. 1917. In addition to
this. the Italian government has taken
about 100000 head, and the Greeks
about 10000.
The proportions OF cavalry and ar
tillery horses nave changed from time
10 time during the war, these varying
with the Developments on the west
front and in the Balkans.
The first contract issued by ,h.
French government called for 90 per
cent cavalry. 80 per cent light artil-
lery and 10 per cent heavy artillery
This was in September. 1919. and the
contract was executed In October. No
rcmber and December The next con
tracts were for 80 per cent cavalry, 50
per cent field artillery and 20 Der cent
heavy. The third set Of contracts we're
Tor 20 per cent cavalry, 60 per cent
held artillery and 20 per cent heavy.
Following this. came one set Of con.
tracts for 10 per cent cavalry. CO per
cent field artillery and 80 per cent
heavy. The 1917 contract, which !
signed Il few days ago. is for 20 ncr
cent cavalry, 80 per cent field artillery
and 80 per cent heavy. These changes
were due TO the mode OF warfare The
trench method reduces the need Of cav
airy. whereas the enormous amount Of
shell-fiIe in this war has increa the
need FOR field gun horses. IL is i'm
portant TO note. however, that as the
war progressed the French buying COM
missions got to the point where they
TOOK heid-sun horse that could
easily be used for cavalry purposes
ana the cavalry horse strong enough
20 hc,p pun field gun. These horses
nave heen interclianged throughout the
war Tor the last twenty months.
BY April, 1918. or after seven months
or buying there were no real cavalry
horses available In America. was the
hrst 10 get into Kentucky and secure
500. AT the present time could not
nope to get more than n carload n week
Of the real stuff in that state. Tie
same holds true in California. Virginia,
Tennessee--in fact, all ovcr tho coun-
try.
The heavy horse is very plentiful
because he ~ produced in Che ordinary
work of the horse industry
FOR Held artillery the French and
BRUSH are now accepting a small farm
chunk wciEing from 1850 10 LOO
pounds. and are continually bemoaninS
the fact that America has no thorough
bred blood in this class OF horse. AZ,
near as ! can nSurc, after having
watched many thousand horses brand !.
ed, believe that thoroughbred blood
Is necessary in both cavalry. and field
artillery horses. know that when
ever an inspector. English or French.
ReeH gunner which looks as though
he might have dash of thoroughbred
! blood he selects hin, nj once and asks
J for more of the Same kindn