BETTER HORSES FOR THE FUTURE 229 



required. This demand has been met by the importa- 

 tion and breeding of large numbers of Clydesdales and 

 Percherons and a few others of less -known draft- 

 breeds from Europe and Canada. The growing com- 

 mercial cities of the West, especially Chicago, have 

 also furnished a good and increasing demand for 

 heavy horses, until within the last few years. The 

 breeders of Illinois responded quickly, arid for a 

 time this single commonwealth contained nearly one- 

 tenth of all of the horses of the United States. Not- 

 withstanding the large numbers bred and imported, 

 prices for good horses remained steady and remunera- 

 tive for a long time. Recently, the great production of 

 horses on the prairies and the introduction of electricity 

 and steam-power, both being utilized for the transpor- 

 tation of goods and passengers, have resulted in check- 

 ing the demand and in lowering prices. In extreme 

 cases, horses were sold at ruinous prices or slaughtered 

 from humanitarian reasons. In some cases the 

 slaughtered animals were packed and marketed for 

 food. 



At the present time, the demand has overtaken the 

 supply, and good horses, bred for special purposes, 

 again bring remunerative prices. In the future, not so 

 many horses per thousand inhabitants will be required 

 as formerly, but there will always be a large place in 

 America for the horse. Nothing can drive him from the 

 streets of the city or the fields of the rural districts. 

 But, from this on, purchasers will be more critical than 

 formerly, and hence a better class of horses and those 

 of specialized characteristics will be demanded. 



