354 IOWA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of all kinds of breeding, though not scrubs, as a rule, and usually being 

 of fair to good quality without those characteristics that fit a horse for 

 a market class. In many cases they may be serviceably sound — perhaps 

 so in the majority of instances. 



Such anim .Is are used, as the name designates, for anything and 

 everything, but the demand is not well defined, and the supply far too 

 large to make this kind of horse a feature of the market other than by its 

 numbers. The average prices for them are next to the lowest quoted. 



SOUTHERN HORSE*. 



At most of the Western markets, particularly those on the Missouri 

 river and at St Louis, there exists a good demand, strongest in the spring 

 of the year, for a rather inferior grade of horses for the Southern trade. 

 They range in quality from very inferior to very "nice" animals. They 

 comprise mainly an assortment of practically unclassed horses, but as 

 much of the roadster type as any. Many are sold as drivers, some as sad- 

 dlers, the best grades usually going to Virginia. Prices range from $5 

 to $200. 



PLUGS AND SCRUBS. 



These wrecks of horseflesh seem out of place in a discussion of 

 market classes of horses. Plugs are usually those animals that have 

 come back from final sale after being worn out by long years of work. 

 Scrubs are described by the name. 



THE MARKET FOR RANGE HORSES. 



This phase of the horse market is somewhat difficult to treat. When 

 animals are sold on the market as "range horses," it is generally under- 

 stood that they are unbroken branded horses brought in and sold in car- 

 load lots, usually going to the country to be broken, and finally resold as 

 finished horses. On the other hand, if range men are equipped to break 

 their young stock thoroughly and do not brand them, such horses sell as 

 natives and strictly on their merits. 



While the prejudice against a branded horse is not so strong as for- 

 merly, a brand still has a very cooling effect on the enthusiasm of a pros- 

 pective buyer. The memory of the evil disposition of the old horses of 

 this country and the frequently exaggerated stories of its presence today 

 are constantly called to the attention of the public. However, it is safe 

 to state that the character and disposition of the range horse and his 

 individuality are being greatly improved by the enlightened policy of the 

 more progressive ranchmen. His temper is being bettered by closer com- 

 munication with man and better methods of handling, and the standard 

 of breeding is being raised by the use of large numbers of pure-bred sires 

 that have been brought in from the Eastern States and Europe. At the 

 same time the wonderful quality and endurance of the native stock have 

 been retained, and, however we may look upon the range horse 

 personally we must admit that the foundation is there for a very excellent 

 horse stock. The systematic experimenting that has been done by ship- 

 ping rangers East as youngsters has been very successful, though grades 

 of only average quality were used. 



