INTRODUCTION. 15 



ber are in the hands of private and wealthy gentlemen, 

 and only used for road or driving purposes or for the stud. 



The individual value of horses of the third class is much 

 less than those of the two previously mentioned ; but as a 

 class being much more numerous, their aggregate value is 

 much larger. 



A horse that can trot in 2.45 will readily bring from 

 $1500 to $2000. A Bashaw or Messenger that can trot in 

 2.35 will command $5000, while one that can beat 2.30 

 is considered cheap at $10,000, and for every second less 

 in the twenties $1000 additional can be obtained. 



The fourth class comprises about three-eighths of the 

 whole number, and includes all such animals as are stylish 

 in action and well adapted for general wagon and road 

 purposes. The prices paid vary from $300 to $2000. 



Lastly, we have that most useful and most frequently 

 much-abused and badly-kept animal, the horse of slow 

 work, numbering about 5,000,000, or five-eighths of the 

 whole, commanding prices from $50 to $200. 



The prices and figures above given will show at a glance 

 what a valuable animal the horse is, and what a sum of 

 money is invested in horseflesh in America alone. 



And yet, notwithstanding the enormous interests in- 

 volved, it is surprising that so little intelligent thought 

 has been given this subject. Proverbially wasteful and 

 reckless as we Americans are, in nothing are we more so 

 than in our care of the noblest and most useful animal 



9* • 



