476 FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 



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Mr. Sharp : I would have three-fourths or more of my colts come in the 

 fall, from September 1 to October 1, so that I can use the mare through seeding 

 and leave her with the colt till March 1, by which time the colt has learned 

 to eat hay and oats. 



Mr. Simpson : The training of horses is not sufficiently appreciated by 

 farmers. Ordinary horses in Michigan are easily scared so as to be uncon- 

 trollable. I have handled all sorts of horses, and with all have found the 

 Rarey system of Yankee bridle, a long whip, combined with rewards and 

 punishments, entirely effective, and very quickly so. 



Mr. : Does Prof. Cook prefer oats and bran with straw to corn 



and straw for brood mares in winter? 



Prof. Cook : I should prefer at least part oats to all corn with straw, as 

 with only corn your colts are apt to be weak — lacking in bone structure. 



Mr. Major: With ensilage, fall colts may do; without it, I should pre- 

 fer spring colts. 



Mr. Sharp : I feed corn, oats, hay and straw to a mare with a colt, and 

 she gives plenty of milk and the colt does well. 



HORSE BREEDING. 



BY C. A. BLACKMAR. 



Read Before he Farmers 1 Institute at Brooklyn, February 14, 1889. 



I think there is no branch of farming that pays better at this day, or is 

 likely to pay better for years to come, than the breeding of good horses. 

 Last spring I had a pair of colts three and four years old, own brothers. Of 

 course they were good ones ; I don't raise anything else. I also had a pair 

 of twin steers, three years old. They were very nice — as good stock as the 

 colts. Last June I sold the steers for $135, which was all I could get for 

 them. The four year old colt I sold for $200, which was about one-half of 

 his value. If he improves with age and handling, as some of my colts have, 

 he will bring from $500 to $900. The other colt, a better one, it is fair to 

 suppose we will get $201 for. So you see in this case it will take about six 

 head of steers to bring as much money as one pair of colts. And when we 

 take into consideration the figures of the thoroughbred cattle sales for the 

 year, in our State, the showing for the horned animals will not be improved. 



Most of you know that many of our thoroughbred colts bring from $1,000 

 to $3,500, as in the case of Bell Boy, a two year old. The breeding of high 

 priced horses — trotters if you please— is yet only in its infancy. We are fast 

 establishing a reputation, even in the countries of Europe, for producing 

 this class of horses, which will soon make us second to no State in the Union. 

 To attain the best results in breeding good horses, we should make it a 

 specialty. Then our business would be known and our reputation soon 

 established. We would not then be obliged to run the country over peddling 

 colts, but would have the buyers come to our own doors and give us paying 

 prices. As examples of what can be done in this direction, I refer you to 

 Dewey & Stewart, and Savage & Farnum of this State, Dunham and others 

 of Illinois, who have made independent fortunes in the business. In order 

 to succeed, we must breed from the best strains of blood available, and see 

 particularly to the fact that our brood mares are sound in wind and limb, 

 and of good disposition if possible. 



