224 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The establishment in 1908 of the remount depots has further im- 

 proved the type of horse for the army, as the system of purchasing 

 young horses 3 and 4 years old, often unbroken, has enabled the Gov- 

 ernment to get the best type of horse before he has cost the breeder 

 much money and when he could be sold for a reasonable amount. 

 These horses, sent to the depots for maturity and handling, and finally 

 issued to troops as 4^ and 5 year olds, while costing the Government 

 more per head than the horses 5 and 6 years old formerly purchased 

 and issued directly to troops, are very much better horses from the 

 beginning, are properly developed at a critical period in their exist- 

 ence, rationally handled, and, when issued to troops, have been re- 

 ceived with enthusiasm as a great improvement over the matured 

 horses formerly issued under the old system. Even considering the 

 high market value of horses at present, it is believed that, under the 

 remount system, horses can be issued to troops at not to exceed a total 

 average cost of $225. The latest contract price of cavalry horses is 

 $183.75; for artillery horses, $213.75. Many of the late contract 

 horses are young and require some handling at depots before suitable 

 for service ; others are mature. 



Horses purchased as mature under the old system have had a useful 

 life in the army of 6.4 years on an average. The better grade of 

 horses, such as are now being purchased, rationally developed and 

 handled, should and will have a useful average life of 10 years. It is 

 easy to see that the better horse issued from the depot at a cost of 

 $225 that lasts 10 years is cheaper than the horse costing from $183 to 

 $213 lasting only 6.4 years. In addition the army will have had a 

 better horse throughout the entire period of usefulness. The horses 

 being issued from the depot could undoubtedly be sold at time of 

 issue at a handsome profit. Many individuals would bring fancy 

 prices. It is needless to say that if it were possible to purchase them 

 in issue form, it would be necessary to pay much more than they have 

 cost under the depot system. 



European countries long ago found it not only advisable but neces- 

 sary to supervise the breeding of horses in order to supply the de- 

 mands of their armies, and every European country of importance, 

 with the exception of England, has for years been encouraging the 

 breeding of the proper type of army remount. England, one of the 

 most important horse countries of the world, has for many reasons 

 only recently been forced to this step. It is interesting to note that 

 practically the same conditions confront England that confront this 

 country at the present time, and that almost identical steps are con- 

 templated in the two Anglo-Saxon countries to accomplish the same 

 result — suitable army horses in sufficient number. 



A Plan for Breeding Horses for the United States Army. 



NUMBER OF STALLIONS REQUIRED. 



From the best information available it would appear that a com- 

 prehensive plan to breed the horses needed for the mounted service 

 of the army on the present peace footing should provide for not less 

 than 2,000 horses a year and need not exceed an estimated allowance 

 for over 2,500 a year. 



