Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1893 — The Walking Horse. [ARTICLE]

The Walking Horse.

The country would roap incalculable benefit if the walk of its ordinary horses could be aocelerated a singlo mile per hour beyond what is now general. It would put millions of dollars extra into the national pockets every year. Wo might havo horses widen would walk five miles an hour just as naturally uud easily as tlireo to three and a half, and rarely four, as is now tho rule. All the farm and much, of the country road and tow n street horsor work is done at n walk. It costs 119 more to feed a smart walker than it does a slow, logy one, and frequently not no much. Now, let any one calculate the profit and advantage of using the former in preference to the latter. Let the farmer boo how much more land per day he can get plowed and harrowed j how inany more loads of hay, straw, grain and vegetables lie can take to market; and how much more rapidly he is able to accomplish all his other work, and he will have little patience iu keeping a slow-walking horse any longer. It will he the same with tho expressman, the teamster and the truckman. liellfounder, got by the celebrated imported trotting horse of his name, out of Lady All port, was not only a fast trotter, but had a natural, easy walk of five miles per hour. He was kept by our fgjrnily sdVeraT'yeimi, and nearly all his stock, out of quite common mares, proved excellent walkers. This shows how easily and rapidly an increased fast-walking stock may bo bred by farmers, if thoy will pnly take due pains to select the stallions to which they may herenfter nick their marcs. A fast-walking horse commands a considerably-higher price witli those who care for the pace than a slow walker, and such buyers are constantly on the increase now, and that day will come by-and-by when a slow walker will hardly get a bid. The fastest walk that 1 have yet seen exaotly timed and placed on record, was that of tho English horse Slove. He made, without effoit 15.69 mile? per hour. All agricultural societies should givo good premiums to fast-walking horses, the highest prize to be awarded to the one which walked five miles per hour; the second to four and one-half miles; the third to four miles. The last should be least time for which to award a prize, and all breeds should be allowed to compete.— New York Tribune.