New-York tribune., 1918-06-16
Farmer Should
Breed Mounts
For Cavalry

There is no higher authority on
horse-breeding in the United States
than John E. Madden, who has in
Hamburg place, near Lexington, the
most extensive stud in America. Not
only thoroughbreds but the standard
bred trotter are produced there, and
these, being the predominant light
horse types Of the country, and the
strains from which the best remounts
are secured, anything which Mr.. Mad
den has to say about the army horse
should be worthy of attention.
In discussing the recent activities
of the Federal authorities, which after
a period of comparative Indifference
in the matter Of remount breeding
have established stations at Fort Sill
in Oklahoma and Fort Keogh In Mon
tana, where some fifteen hundred
head of selected mares are to be mated
with thoroughbred sires which have
been picked by experts, Mr.. Madden
said:
"These stations in the West will be
as nurseries where the seed will be
kept alive, but l think that every
farmer throughout the length and
breadth of the land should be breed
er of cavalry remounts for Uncle Sam.
Army officials tell me that they would
need the remount for fifty years. In
tell]gent methods should, therefore,
be formulated for his perpetuation.
ENCOURAGEMENT to Farmer
Encouragement to the farmer is a
fundamental in this connection, for if
the farmer once entcrtains the idea
that the Government is a competitor
in the horse breeding business he
will become Indifferent and you will
finally lose him entirely. In these
days of the tractor and the automo-
bile there must be an incentive for
the farmer to engage in the work,
and the best way that I know to
stimulate his interest is by increas!
ing the price the Government will
pay him for his remounts in the
rough. Give him a profit and note
the eager response he will make to
his country's call for better type of
light horse.
"lf we don't make it worth while
now," continued Mr.. Madden, "the
process of winning him back again
| will occupy twenty years, and you
may take it as a fact that it will
require that long 10 re-establish the
light horse on the farms of America.
This country Is going to need very
many thousands Of the type the Gov
ernment hopes to breed at their re-
mount depots. 1t is good thing for
the balance Of the country to have
Uncle Sam setting the example and
pointing the way by using the thor
oughbred as a top cross, but in order
to secure the number Of horses such
a country as ours must have for cav
airy there must be outside help.
Up to Federal Authorities.
Let the Federal authorities supply
the stations and an increased price
! for the rough product" said Mr.. Mad
den in conclusion. "and the farmer
will do the rest. In order to encour-
age him to the fullest l would favor
the abolition of taxes on his mares.
Racing tests as always should be the
medium of development for the sires.
The Jockey Club, through its breed
ing bureau. as in the past, in con-
junction with public-spirited indivi-
duals. will no doubt see to it that
there will be no shortage of the type
on the work as successfully as in
France, where army horse production
has been reduced to an exact science.
We are fortunate in having the ex-
ample of France as guide, and while
we cannot hope to equal her achieve
ments in horse breeding we at least
may strive to follow the methods
which have made for such large
| measure of success