The Farm.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 17, 22 July 1893, Page 15

The Farm.

HARNESS HORSES IN DEMAND

There is more attention paid to the breeding of harness horses, and higher prices are paid for sires and dams in England at the present time than at any previous period in the history of the country, and yet harness horses of a first-class stamp wore probably never more difficult to get. Even in America, (remarks the Australasian) where the breeding of harness horses has been the favourite hobby with stock-owners for many years past, good carriage horses are scarce. Mr. M. W. Dunham, the well-known America,n breeder, writes in the preface to his catalogue : —‘“Where can I find a pair of fine-appearing carriage horses. 16 hands or over, stylish, sound, and serviceable ? ’ is a question that is being asked many times every day, and not one man in a hundred gets a satisfactory, reply and a satisfactory team. Why is this ? Is it because of any unwillingnes to pay a good round price for the kind of horses wanted ? No ! The gentlemen who want them are liberal buyei-s. One thousand, two thousand, and as many as three thousand dollars for a fine pair is not uncommon.” Even in Australia it is a most difficult thing to get a useful pair of fairly-well matched carriage horses, and so scarce are they in New Zealand that a well-known dealer inMaoriland who lately visited Melbourne, purchased all he could lay hands on, and stated that he was prepared to take as many more if he could get them. There seems to be more uncertainty in the breeding of carriage horses than any other horse stock, and it might safely be said that good fiatracers are much more numerous in the land than are carriage horses of the same standard of excellence.