VOL. LXVII
INDIANAPOLIS, APRIL 13, 1912.
NO. 15
Draft Horse Interest in Indiana
Hamilton County Breeders
Hold Their Third Annual Meeting.
STATE   ASSOCIATION   FORMED AT
INDIANAPOLIS.
That the draft horse interest of Indiana is not dying out, was evident by
the two meetings that were held in this
state during the month of March. The
draft horses and mares. About 100
people attended the third annual
meeting which met at the Court House
and was called to order by the President T. E. Beals, Noblesville. The
first order of business was the appointment of committees on State organization and resolutions. The former committee consisted of D. O. Thompson,
Lafayette,; J. D. Conner, Wabash; C.
M. Gentry, Noblesville, Chas. McCon-
nel, Sheridan and Horace Johnson,
Westfleld. The latter committee consisted   of T.  J.  Lindley, Westfleld;   Ed.
the Westfleld Importing Co., endorsed
what Mr. Wheeler had said and added
that the horse business is increasing
and will continue to increase. Manufacturers who use automobile trucks
tell him that horses are the best and
surest way of transporting heavy loads,
as the horse does not get out of flx like
an auto-truck. To show you the value
of the pure bred draft horse business,
he said "Since I have been in business, I have purchased over $7f.,-
000.00 worth of American bred horses
sired by one stallion. In order to get
our horses as large as the trade demands, we must take better care of our
horses."
Horse Breeding Profitable.
"Profitable Horse Production for tho
is no sense in our going over to France,
Belgium and England to buy our stallions and mares, we have the feed and
the pastures to raise as good drafters
as they have. The Hereford breeder
has ceased to go to England for bulls
and heifers for he can breed better
ones here. We can do the same with
the draft horse.
Work for a Standard.
"As to improving the draft horse
would say that the ultimate end
of the draft horse is the market,
it sets the price and creates the demand. The eastern markets have a
standard by which they measure a
draft horse. They demand a big draft
horse with quality, good  feet and  legs.
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Group   of   Hagenbeck-Wallace   Circus Horses  in   Their  Winter   Quarters  at  Peru,  Indiana.
r-aft horse breeders have at last awaked to their interests and see the need
°| a State organization and the uniting
°r efforts in building up the draft horse
"Merest in the state.    This has all been
"'ought about by the successful meeting held at Noblesville,  March   6  and
' <*me thTee years ago, 4 or 5 prom-
n«*-nt farmers and stockmen of Hamil-
j°.n c°unty met at the home of T. J.
^'X-dlpy near Westfleld, and organized
* Pure bred draft horse breeders asso-
'°n,  the object being to encourage
6 breeding of pure bred draft horses,
_'a holding of public sales, the holding
fan"" exhlb,t:°n at Noblesville every
ta' 'tand t*16 discussion ot subjects per-
arfl "K t0 t"*e management, breeding
me feedlng of draft horses. From a
tin-*-?* men*bership  of  5  the  assocla-
[1°n ha
ship
s increased to a total member-
°f 50    who own    160  pure bred
Klepper and  Walter Wheeler,  Noblesville.
Organization Endorses Pure Breds.
The first speaker was C. J. Wheeler,
Noblesville, who spoke on the
"Work of the Pure Bred Draft Horse
Breeders Association of Hamilton
County." He said: "One of the good
things accomplished was the successful four days horse show held at Noblesville, last October, and the
members are already getting ready
for the coming show this fall. Another thing was the promotion of the idea
of farmers breeding to pure bred draft
stallions and discarding the unregistered stallion. At our meetings we exchange ideas on the breeding and management of our horses and mares, we
boost no particular breed but endorse
only the pure bred animal."
Austin Roberts, Westfleld,  Manager  of
Farmer*' was the subject discussed by
Dean J. H. Skinner, Purdue. After
congratulating the organization on its
success, and telling them that they
were pioneers in a field of work that
has long been neglected in Indiana—he
said in part—"Years ago people did not
care whether they had a brood mare
or not, as they wanted to get rid of
their horses. Many good.brood mares
were sold, and it has taken time to replace them, in fact we have never been
able to catch up. High prices are being
paid for good drafters, a team of good
grades bringing as much as $600.00.
The auto has not affected the price of
draft horses, for as long as we are expanding agricultural interests so long
there will be a big demand for draft
horses. The horse business is in a thrifty condition for the same conditions
exist now as did years ago, a good
draft horse brings good money. There
We must work to this standard if we
expect the price. Get all the weight
possible with plenty of good actions.
Pay close attention to the feet and
legs. Breed draft horses that can go
8 miles an hour not 3 miles. See that
your horses are sound and right and
will stand up under work. Remember
that defective feet kill prices. What we
want is stamina in horses—look at the
Morgan horse. Let us improve our
draft horse. How are we to do this? Go
to the market and ask, 'What do you
demand?' Then work to this end. Look
to your sires, your pure bred mares see
that they fill the requirements. I have
seen mares sell for $1,500.00 that were
not sound, they may breed all right,
but may not produce the right kind.
"The mares must have quality as well
as soundness. If you have to go slow
put your money in good mares, don't
buy pedigree only, but quality.    There