light, the light horse will be the most useful. In breeding farm horses these principles should be kept clearly in mind, as the horse of all work is a myth, and the attempt to produce him will prove a disappointment. Many a small farmer has come to grief because he provided for his family driving before his work and because he looked upon colt raising as causing too much trouble.

THE MARKET HORSE

Since the general farmer must keep more horses than he can provide with continuous work, in order that he may manage during the busy season, it has been suggested that he keep brood mares and raise colts, thus increasing the output from the farm. If the farmer breeds to a given type, as suggested above, this will prove a remunerative investment, although it will probably fail if he breeds indiscriminately and without regard to type. The farmer breeding horses in this way should make a careful study of the market requirements and market classes of horses, especially as applies to his local market and to his individual conditions.

Market requirements.-In breeding and fitting horses for the market there are a number of market requirements that should be carefully considered. Chief among these requirements are the general appearance, education and disposition, soundness, quality, condition, action, age, color and sex.

Appearance. The general appearance of the horse has much to do with his market value. If able to shape hinself well in harness, a very plain horse often makes a stylish showing and thus commands a good price. The animal should show spirit and energy, which accompanies good feeding. He should be well groomed, the hair short and sleek, lying close to the body and possessing a luster which is indicative of thrift. The general form must be indicative of strength, endurance and

longevity. The various parts should be in the proper proportion, thus improving the general symmetry.

Education. The horse that is sent to market should be well educated to do the tasks he is expected to perform. The draft horse should be a fast walker and a good puller. He should be free from vice and bad habits. Among light horses education is of first importance, as the carriage, coach and saddle horse will sell in proportion to their training. In this day of motor-driven carriages too

much stress cannot be placed upon the horse's education. The disposition is also very important, as a kindly disposed animal will outsell any other. This is emphasized in the case of branded horses, which do not command as high a price as native animals because of their timid and uncertain disposition.

Soundness. Perhaps no market requirement is of more importance than that of soundness. The market horse should be serviceably sound, or free from unsoundness that interferes with service. Such a horse may have slight blemishes, as small splints, puffs, and the like, but nothing is permitted that is likely to cause lameness or soreness in any way.

Quality. In market horses quality is of prime importance. In animals of quality the muscles stand out prominently and are clearly defined, which aids in giving a horse finish and indicates endurance.

Condition. The market horse should be in good condition of flesh. This applies more especially to animals of the draft type. Possibly this added flesh does not increase the horse's real value for utility and longevity, but the market demands it and the horse producer should supply it. Many horses find their way to market in poor condition, and some persons make a good profit in buying these thin animals, and shipping them to the country to be fitted, after which they are shipped back to the market and resold. Careful estimates place the value of horse flesh at 25 cents per pound on heavy horses weighing 1,500 pounds and upward. The farmer who is producing horses for the market cannot afford to let some one else reap this profit.

Action. The action is an important market consideration, although not of equal importance in all types and classes of horses. With the single exception of soundness, action is by far the more important requirement in carriage, road and saddle horses. Perhaps too little attention is paid to action in heavy horses, particularly the rapidity of the walk. Many heavy horses are notoriously slow walkers and their efficiency is handicapped to that

extent.

Age. The market favors horses from five to eight years of age, depending on the maturity and the class. Heavy horses sell best at five to seven years old, but a well matured four-year-old will find a ready sale. Since the lighter types do not mature so early, and since their education requires more time, they sell better with a little more age, about six to eight years.

Color. On the market, horses of solid color are preferred to those that fade. The demand is good for bays, browns, blacks, chestnuts, sorrels and roans. In light horses bays, browns and chestnuts sell best. In all classes matched pairs sell better than single horses. White is more or less discriminated against, as is "fleabitten gray," "mealy bay," and the like.

Sex. While the sex is of no great importance, the city trade favors geldings. This is due to the liability of the mare being in foal, and to the recurrence of her periods of heat, which are objectionable, as many mares are less efficient when in such condition. For the farm trade, however, mares are often preferred, as many farmers buy horses with the expectation of breeding them.

Breed. The farmer who is raising horses with the expectation of marketing his surplus stock, is often at a loss to know what breed to choose. The breed is of less importance than the individual excellence. Fine specimens of any breed will find a ready sale at a good price. The farmer should study his local market closely, and if it favors any one breed he will do well to raise what his market demands.

Matched teams.-The importance of uniformity is emphasized by the fancy price a well-matched team of horses will command. The matching of horses is very profitable and many persons make a business of buying horses singly, then matching them, and selling them in pairs. To be successful, however, this requires native ability and skill on the part of the horseman as it is really a difficult task to match two horses in all of the important char

acters.

CHAPTER XXXI

MARKET CLASSES OF HORSES AND MULES

In our large horse markets, horses are classified according to the work they can perform. On any given market, a market class is a group of animals similar in type, height, weight and action. While classes go by a certain name all over the country, the kind of horse that is referred to in one part of the country by one name may be very different from the horse referred to by the same term in another section. Thus, the Boston wagon horse, the New York wagon horse and the Pittsburgh wagon horse are three different kinds, although they are all wagon horses. The same is true of practically all the classes, and the breeder who is producing horses and the feeder who is fitting horses for market should become familiar with the classes upon the market where his stock is to be sold.

MARKET CLASSES OF HORSES*

In this classification, horses are divided into classes, sub-classes and grades. The classes embody groups of horses of a general type. The sub-classes are divisions of the class and distinguish horses of a similar type, but slightly different in size, weight, or the use to which they are put. The grades of the various sub-classes refer to the quality, condition and action, the relative importance of which is not the same for all classes. The principal grades are choice, good, medium, common and inferior. The various grades will not be discussed because of the lack of uniformity in their application. The principal classes are draft horses, chunks, wagon horses, carriage

*Made up from Illinois Bulletin 122, and applies to the Chicago and St. Louis horse markets.