KEPORTS. 



REPORT ON FARM AND DRAFT HORSES. 



In submitting their report on dralt horses the committee would 

 comment favorably on the interest taken in the contests. It would 

 seem prophetic of the larger classes in the near future. While the 

 number of entries was deplorably small, the quality of the animals 

 entered was extremely good. Nearly all were well built, well devel- 

 oped and courageous. In comment on this class more need n(>t be 

 said. 



The class of farm horses had more entries than the foregoing, but 

 the horses entered were not nearly as good of their kind. A good 

 farm horse should be a good general purpose horse. A little heavier 

 in weight than is generally seen, (about 1200 lbs.) blocky, good in 

 action and especially in the walking gait, is the writer's idea of a 

 farm horse. Of the animals entered only one showed a good walk- 

 ing gait. I believe that the Hampshire Agricultural Society might 

 do much towards improving our farm horses, by making special 

 awards for fast walking horses and colts. 



It was noticeable that there seemed to be a considerable variety of 

 opinion as to what is the type of a farm horse. Among those enter- 

 ed were some large, slow and sluggish, fit only for heavy draft. 

 Others were very light and active ; too light for much of the work 

 required to be done on a farm, and suitable only for light work and 

 driving. The lines do not seem to be drawn so that the kind of 

 horses which ought to compete in this class is understood, and per- 

 haps a suggestion with regard to it could be profitably inserted in the 

 premium list. 



So much for the animals at the fair in the two classes. I venture 

 to say not one of them was raised by his exhibitor. I happen to 

 know that most of them were not, and on general principles I judge 

 that such horses are not raised in this section. Among the carriage 

 horses and gentlemen's driving horses and others bred for speed 

 probably many are reared by their owners. Not so the farm and 

 draft horses. With the exception of a few colts belonging to the 



