SECRETARY'S REPORT. 1G9 



bly ever paid for siicli a purpose, namely, $500 ; and some 

 seasons it is said to have been $1,000 and even $1,500. 



THE DRAUGHT HORSE. 



The essential points of a beautiful, serviceable horse for rapid 

 work, whetiier under the saddle, or in harness, having l)een 

 discussed, the horse for slower, heavier labor — such as requires 

 severe exertion at a moderate pace, next demands attention. 



In this age and country there is no use for the gigantic, 

 plodding dray horse, which excites the admiration of the 

 stranger in London or Liverpool ; nor is there a demand for a 

 very large number of mere draft horses such as were formerly 

 employed in the transportation of merchandise. For most draft 

 jiurposes, large, stout roadsters, very properly called horses of 

 all work, are best suited to the wants of the people in this 

 Commonwealth. 



The famous black draught-horse of England often attains a 

 weight of more than 2,000 pounds, but such animals are 

 monsters, and cannot be worked with any profit. In fact these 

 immense horses serve rather to gratify the pride of their 

 owners than to enrich them, and the finest of them are bought 

 by the wealthy brewers of the large cities. Seven of them 

 before a truck, laden with an indefinite number of beer barrels, 

 certainly make a magnificent team, very like a team of 

 elephants in more than one respect. 



For use about railroad stations in hauling cars, and for 

 trucks and other heavy work, especially in the cities, are 

 wanted a limited number of stout horses from 1,200 to 1,500 

 pounds in weight. They should have small heads, indicative 

 of activity and intelligence, short, thick necks, broad chests 

 and backs, short, powerful limbs, very hard, prominent mus- 

 cles, and above all things, an honest, self-reliant, unflinching 

 spirit. 



All horses, and especially those whose work is usually per- 

 formed at this pace, should be taught to walk in a correct and 

 rapid manner with a cheerful, lively step. A good, active 

 liorse can be trained to walk a mile in from nine to twelve 

 minutes, yet most will occupy twenty to thirty minutes in 

 walking this distance. Of course the faster a horse walks the 

 more valuable he is for almost any kind of labor, and it is a 



