CHAPTER XXXVI 



MARKET CLASSES OF HORSES 



The present rank and importance of the leading horse markets 

 is shown by the following figures giving the receipts of horses and 

 mules for three years, as reported by the U. S. Bureau of Agricultural 

 Economics: 



Receipts of horses and mules at leading markets in three years 



Market 1922 1921 1920 Total 



1. St. Louis 95,048 67,756 143,425 306,229 



2. Kansas City 38,310 30,453 71,797 140,560 



3. Chicago 31,689 33,723 43,020 108,432 



4. Fort Worth 28,610 13,086 45,362 87,058 



5. Memphis 46,249 14,770 8,006 69,025 



6. Buffalo 21,159 23,687 22,526 67,372 



7. St. Joseph 15,961 11,580 29,768 57,309 



8. Wichita 17,936 10,885 24,714 53,535 



9. Pittsburgh 14,131 10,742 20,472 45,345 



10. Denver 13,485 9,639 17,591 40,715 



11. San Antonio 9,212 6,314 24,573 40,099 



12. Richmond 13,161 10,266 16,167 39,594 



13. Sioux City 7,954 7,262 23,238 38,454 



14. Atlanta 7,955 3,119 25,931 37,005 



15. Omaha 8,871 6,779 18,751 34,401 



16. Montgomery 14,133 4,002 11,969 30,104 



Totals 383,864 264,063 547,310 1,195,237 



Methods and cost of marketing. — G. E. Wentworth, superintend- 

 ent of the horse market at the Union Stock Yards, Chicago, states: ^ 



"Carloads of horses for sale on the Chicago market receive the 

 best handling when consigned to reliable commission men. They can 

 be sold privately or at auction. The usual custom is for the shipper 

 to accompany his horses, arriving at the market on Friday or Saturday, 

 selling as many at retail as he can on Saturday and Sunday morning 

 up until 10 o'clock, which is when the Chicago market closes on Sunday, 

 putting the rest of his horses into the auction on Monday or Tuesday. 

 The shipper gets his position in the auction according to the order in 

 which the horses are removed from the cars. 



"The feed rates on the Chicago market are at present $1.25 for 

 the first day and $1 for each succeeding day per horse. The commis- 

 sion for selling is $3 a horse. Nearly all the shippers find it advanta- 

 geous to employ a "swipe" to put their horses in condition. They all 

 braid and sack their horses' tails before going into the auction, as it 

 makes them look more attractive. Some horses are sold shod and some 



1 Breeder's Gazette, Feb. 22, 1923, p. 258. 

 477 



