THE HORSE IS BACK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 19, 15 October 1937, Page 33 (Supplement)

THE HORSE IS BACK

Definite Place in Modern Farm Economy TREND IN HAWKE'S BAY Hawke's Bay, on a percentage basis, is leading the rest of the Dominion in the revival of interest in horses. Last year the horse pojiulation of this district showed'an increase of over 3000 head, the majority of which were working sorts. This was one of the outstanding features of farming in the province last year. A similar trend has been experienced to a lesser degree in other parts of the Dominion. It is not from formal figures, however, that the advance is realised. More foals are to be seen on the farms; more , stallions are to be seen on the roads — and many more are not seen, for the reason that they fly by in a "float" — there is a keener demand by farmers to secure the services of good types of stallion; bigger prices are being paid at dispersal saies, at Avhich a market could be found for more horses; and still another proof is that there has been a great revival in the importation of high-class stallions and mares, and at prices which have set records for New Zealand. 1

A few years ago it seemed as though j the mechanisation of farm eultivation, reaping, and harvestmg was likely to become universal. The use of the traetor for ploughing and cultivation, the use of other types of cnotor vehicles to cut and carry grass for ensilage and hay, and the use of many implements having their own power, made it seem as though the general use of the horse on farms of any size would soon be a thing of the past. Even in smaller holdings co-operation between neighbours favoured the use of rnechan ised farm plant as being quicker and more mobile in distribution. A plant could be hired for use in one districtand at the end of the day's work could, if required, transport itself many rniles away in readiness for work in another loc.ality. These considerations still exist and affect farm husbandry whether conducted on a large or s-mall seale. . Such conditions tended in .some small measure to create a belief that rnechanical traction might eventually supplant the draught horse in many activities. What little justification, tliero may have been for such an qpinion is fast vanishing, at least so far as his utility relates to primary production. The draught horse has from the earliest days of agriculture been the main-stay nf the farmer. Experience during recent years, too, suggests that for the timo being at least the liorse supplies the economy and dependability, which are impprtant factors ln suceessful farming. Modern transport devices, instead of taking the place of the horse, may more truly be regarded as supplementary. Thus, though to a degree the horse may disappear from the roads, there are many tasks associated with the primary production, which he alone " can efficiently perform. While cnechanisation of farm plant and transport has taken a rigktful place in present-aay agriculture, there is no question that the horse has returned to favour for many farm operations. An increasing demand has been evident during thc past few years for

good draught horses of the riglit type, not only in New Zealand, - but also in Australia, to which country a number of exports have been made from this Dominion in recent years. Since 1911 when the peak number of 404,000 was reached, the horse population of the Dominion- has decreased tremendously. In the years 1929-34 the number shrank from 298,986 to 273,906, and in the last two years of that period the decrease amounted to over 7000. This reduction applied to all' classes, as, altliough there was an increased demand from farmers for working horses, this was offset by the lessened demand for heavy horses in the urban areas. For the 1935 period the number of horses again fell away slightly, the total being 272,986, but for the 1936 period an increase was recorded on both the 1934 and 1935 figures, the total being 276,370, the increase being mainly in draught and three-quarter . draughts, which totalled 128,063. ' The detailed figures of the horse population of 'the Dominion are as follow:

When the thoroughbred numbers are added, a total of 15,663, the horse population of-the Dominion is 276,170.

o o FH ^5 I. fco n « -a, rcl ^ O O § S U -3 rr* 2 ^ 3 S (H M S . m ^ ? * .5 id r® S g U, .2° § .y North Auckland 9,029 7,198 12,302 Auckland 18^445 11,256 13,274 Gisborne 2,687 1,960 7,741 Hawke's Bay ' 5,347 2,620 7,722 Taranaki 5,567 5,736 3,443 Wellington 11,397 7,916 14,678 Nelson • 2,706 1,392 1,258 Marlborouh 3,104 972 1,399 Westland 714 472 781 Canterbury 33,674 4,6S5 9,875 Otago 19,245 3,379 5,S82 Southland 16,148 2,460 4,053 Dominion totals 128,063 50,036 S2,408