6o 



Chicago Live Stock Market. 



' The care of young horses' feet and the early develop- 

 ment of their intelligence require the attention of the 

 breeder, so as to produce a matured animal that will bring 

 the best price in the market. More attention should be given 

 to mouthing, mannering, and educating horses for all pur- 

 poses. Many valuable horses lose money to the exporter on 

 account of their not being sufficiently broken." 



Chicago Horse and Live Stock Market in 1896. 



The horse business in Chicago during the year 1896 was 

 generally unsatisfactory, and something like 80,000 horses 

 were thrown out of employment owing to street car com- 

 panies having engaged further in the equipment of their 

 lines with electricity. Bicycles likewise continued to inter- 

 fere with the trade in driving horses, and the general 

 depression in business and low prices of farm products had 

 a very depressing effect on the useful classes known as 

 streeters, light-drivers, and farmers. 



During the year about 10,000 horses were consigned to 

 ^England and Scotland, 4,500 to France, and 3,500 to 

 Germany. Buyers from Belgium, Italy, and Mexico took out 

 upwards of 2,000 head, the number being about equally 

 apportioned. Most of the purchases for these three countries 

 were drivers, with quality, shape, and action, for private sale 

 •or use. It is stated by Mr. Consul Vansittart that a large 

 number of the finest coach and carriage horses, trotters with 

 good record, and high steppers, were exported to London 

 and Paris with satisfactory results, some taking blue ribbons 

 at their annual exhibitions, others winning stake-races and 

 obtaining good records. 



Of the 105,680 horses received at the Union Stockyards, 

 97,314 head were exported to eastern, northern, or southern 

 markets, and about 8,360 were taken by customers in Chicago 

 itself and in its neighbourhood. The receipts show a falling- 

 off of 7,633 head, and exports decreased by 11,832 head, as 

 compared with 1895. It may be said that breeding is almost 

 at a standstill throughout the west, there being only about 

 7i to 10 per cent, as many colts raised as in 1892-93. 



