HORSES FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES. 13 



too long in the body, tail too low down on the body, the hips wider 

 than the buttocks, the back curving in, and leg deficient in bone. 

 The English war office would be glad to buy short, low horses, thick- 

 set, with strong flanks, good high-set tail, muscular buttocks and 

 thighs, ribs well rounded out so as to " furnish " well, and well-shaped 

 legs, especially if they possessed rather more stamina than is accred- 

 ited to the average American horse shipped to the English market. 



HORSES FOR BUSINESS PURPOSES. 



Of the 28,000 horses exported from the United States in 1897 about 

 4,000 were exported to Belgium, 1,000 to France, Germany, and Hol- 

 land, and 20,000 to Great Britain. It is evident from this that the 

 business is already pretty well established in Great Britain. This trade 

 should be upheld and fostered while efforts are being made to gain 

 entrance or establish a firm foothold in other countries. The most 

 important and effective efforts to advance this trade must be made 

 by the horse breeders of the United States by a systematic attempt to 

 produce such horses as those markets demand, for if the particular 

 kinds of horses desired are not to be had no amount of energy or 

 push on the part of dealers can increase or even maintain the present 

 export figures. 



Of course, much may be done to improve the condition of the horses 

 on arrival in Europe, by securing improved and proper accommoda- 

 tions on board the steamers carrying the animals, and the establish- 

 ment of an inspection at the port of shipment "similar to that employed 

 with cattle, so that no horse affected with any disease, contagious or 

 otherwise, shall be allowed to depart from our shores to injure the 

 reputation of our stock. About 750,000 horses are in daily use in 

 London, their average term of usefulness, depending upon the nature 

 of their employment, being from three to seven years; thus on an 

 average of five years' service, 150,000 new horses annually are required 

 for the London business world. When it is recalled that only about 

 100,000 horses pass through our largest horse market (Chicago) each 

 year, this London demand is seen in its proportionate importance. Of 

 these 150,000 horses used in London, and the still larger number in 

 the rest of the island, 40,677 were imported during 1896, Canada and 

 the United States furnishing 29,782 of them. 



It takes some time for the imported horse to recover from the 

 effects of the sea voyage, and doubtless prices would be higher if that 

 time were allowed to elapse before the horses were put up for sale. 

 There would, however, be some expense attached to it, the buyers con- 

 sidering an addition of £2 (about $10) to the price of the horse a fair 

 estimate of the expense required to get him in condition for work. 



-The Belgian commissioner, who recently visited this country to 

 investigate the raising of horses in the principal centers of horse 



