466 TYPES AND MARKET CLASSES OF LIVE STOCK 



The experience of all successful horse breeders teaches no other 

 lesson more forcibly than this. 



Pedigree not always an indication of merit. In the minds 

 of many people, the words "purebred/' "registered," and "im- 

 ported" have a charm much greater than they deserve. Far 

 too often, glaring faults of individuality or even serious un- 

 soundness are passed with light criticism because the animal 

 in question is eligible to one or more of these fascinating names. 

 After all, one must conclude that there is something in a name. 

 It is a fact that some purebred horses are practically worthless 

 for breeding purposes. If an animal is purebred and registered, 

 its value is very greatly increased, provided it is a good indi- 

 vidual of useful type; but if the animal is decidedly faulty in 

 conformation, or has serious unsoundness, its pedigree and 

 registration number are of small account, and the animal is of 

 little or no value for breeding purposes. 



Feed and care. Every successful breeder is a good feeder 

 and caretaker, for no matter how excellent the ancestry of a 

 foal may be, its inherited good qualities cannot reveal them- 

 selves unless the foal is provided with good quarters and plenty 

 of the right feed with which to build up and grow. Feed and 

 care are fully as important as parentage in producing good 

 horses. 



Summary. In conclusion, therefore, follow the intensive 

 rather than the extensive plan of horse production; select the 

 type to breed after careful study of the situation; select a breed 

 which truly belongs to that type; select sound individuals pos- 

 sessing a high degree of individual excellence; breed to a strictly 

 high-class, purebred stallion, regardless of the amount of his 

 service fee; if there is no such stallion in the immediate neigh- 

 borhood, ship the mares whatever distance is necessary to reach 

 a high-class horse; patronize a tried and proven sire if possible; 

 stick to a definite line of breeding do not mix the types indis- 

 criminately; raise a class of foals that merit plenty of good feed 

 and care, and supply the same; be conservative in your judg- 

 ment and appreciative of the fact that the breeding of horses is 

 an enterprise which repays careful study of all departments of 

 the business. 



A Few Statistics. 



The United States, with 21,534,000 horses and 4,925,000 

 mules on January 1, 1919, has over 25 per cent, of the world's 



