Year: 1877

The horse has existed almost from
time immemorial, either in wild ol
domesticated state, and should be priz
ed by the farmer and all other classe,
of men above all OF the domestic ami
mals-in fact in point Of intelligence
he ranks next to man, and perhaps
might be justified In saying in some in.
stances superior, for how often do We
hear the remark that the horse knows
more thau his driver.


With the horse the farmer in this
day and age Of the world is almost in
separately connected in all his opera
tions on the farm and road, in plowinp
and preparing his ground for the seed
in drawing the harvester TO gather the
grain and in marketing the same; then
i say, use him well, treat him humane.
ly, and he will perform all that you ask
him TO do. This question of the horse
has been left almost to the close Of this
institute, but trust that our executive
committe by so doing did not consider
ID the least important. The question
with which we have to deal is one that
reaches the pocket of the farmer; il il
one of dollars and cents, and not un.
like the rearing OF the short-horn on
the American fine-wool, which We have
heard 80 ably discussed, and the rails
ing OF wheat and the other cereals--it
all partakes OF the almighty dollar, and
we are striving to know how best to &c
complish it.


The question is very pertinently and
properly asked, What horse is il best
to raise in this county for profit? To
my mind there seems now to be only
two classes that would properly come
under our consideration at this time.
They may very properly be classed-
the horse for general purposes, and the
heavy draft or Norman horse.


The aforementioned class is a horse
that is ready for any kind Of business
"a horse that will weigh say from ten
to twelve hundred pounds; one that you
can pillow with, and put your plow down
ten inches, too; one that you can hitch
to your carriage and take your wife
and family to church with; one that
you can take load OF grain to market
with, and return the same day, with a
bony, clean-out head. well set on q
properly-formed neck, fiat legs, and
general conformation indicative OF ac-
ton, with a strain of good blood cours-
ing through his veins, capable Of great
powers OF endurance, one that is al
ways ready.


The econd-mentioned class is a
horse that will weigh from sixteen to
eighteen hundred pounds, large, heavy
head, with low, thick, upright should
ers, large round legs, and with which a
farmer, living the distance that do
from Hillsdale, would have to take two
days TO bring load OF grain to market
and return home. The latter-mention-
ed class would be serviceable for heavy
draft on the farm, provided we had a
farm large enough to raise feed to sup
ply them, or money enough to buy it
of our neighbor. and able to own an
other team for road purposes.


A horse that is Of good, fair size, and
is capable OF making six or eight miles
on the road, per hour, and perform the
ordinary work of the farm, suits me the
best, and 1 would pay the most money
for him, for consider him the most
valuable. My plan would be to breed
mares to the very best strains OF blood
ed horses, Of good, fair size, aud sound
either part or full thoroughbred, and
the produce would be a horse that
would be much sought after, be fit for
the carriage or the plow, and would
command high price in market. Do
not think, friends, for one moment,
that in order to get the most money
ont OF the horse that we should breed
him expressly for the race-course. that
he should develop great speed in order
to be valuable. Goldsmith Maids,
Dexters, Smugglers, or any OF the not
ed trotters that sell for fabulous sums;
but we can breed those that by Judi
cious care and management will be
sought after ut remunerative prices to
the breeder and raiser. In my humble
opinion the great fault with the horses
OF this county lies in their owners not
using proper judgment and fore
thought in breeding, and in the Ian
guage OF an experienced stock-ruiser,
beware OF nothing so much as a low
bred stock-horse. His services cannot
be offered so cheap that they will not
in the end prove dear, because the
colts from such q horse, when ready
for the market, will bring less than
they have cost their owners TO raise
them. Select horse that is great IN
himself and his ancestry. Permit me
TO ask the question why II is that some
sucking colts in this country can to-day
be sold for one hundred dollars, while
others go begging for buyers at twenty.
five. Is it not in the breeding? Why
is il that our county is scarce OF valua'
BILE horses to-day? Is it not because
they are not bred here? i would like
to arouse an interest in the minds oi
our farmers in regard 10 this question
so that they may look it up for them
selves, aud study it and profit by it.


The value Of the horse consists in
what he will bring in mony; in my
opinion it is just as easy to raise one
that will bring a good price rs to raise
one that you cannot sell. You must
breed right in the first place, and then
raise them right, and you will then have
no trouble in selling. There is large
amount of money invested in horses in
this county, and il is an important mat
ter for the farmer TO consider well how
TO make the most out of that invest
ment. i am well aware that among
some of our farmers there exists pref
udice against the trials OF speed at oul
county and state fairs, stigmatizine
them as "hoss-trots;" but sorry should
/ be 10 see the time come when thai
part Of the programme should bt
stricken out. Only last fall well
known gentleman of an adjoining coun
ty informed me that he sold a two
vear-old colt for nine hundred dollars
Buyers that are willing to pay larg'
prices are looking at these trials o
speed to make their selections.


In conclusion, then, 1 would say, d.
not disparage or in any way belittl'
that noble animal. the horse, but Civ,
him a chance to fully develop all hi
qualities, and you will receive pleasure
aud profit thereby