246 RURAL CALIFORNIA 



serviceable types for the road, field-work and heavy 

 hauling. A sharp turn came in the popular idea of 

 desirability in horses when the men who lavished 

 effort and money on speed achievements passed from 

 the scene and left-overs from racing stables largely 

 constituted the offerings for ordinary equine service- 

 ability. With the great owners of breeding farms 

 there also passed away the idea of true sportsman- 

 ship which largely actuated them. Speed contests 

 became so demoralizing because of race-track gam- 

 bling and attending immoralities that they were 

 abolished by the State Agricultural Society in 1906 

 and soon afterward prohibited by State law. 



After the public lost its interest in sport under the 

 old standards, commendable efforts were made by a 

 number of breeders to promote the production of 

 better types of useful horses and the breeding of 

 roadsters, saddle-horses and drafters promised to 

 regain the popularity which prevailed before the 

 trotters and runners diverted attention from it. Good 

 horses of all these types were bred, blood was freely 

 imported from the best original sources and there 

 has been a good demand for their offspring. Cali- 

 fornia has not yet been able to regain her high figures 

 for total number of horses in. 1893 and of mules in 

 1909. The horse has been displaced by bicycles, 

 automobiles and later by tractors and trucks until 

 the appearance of teams even on the rural highways 

 is rather exceptional. On the farms, however, the 

 teams still render chief service and are unlikely to 

 be displaced. The breeding of horses and mules to 



