Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1855-03-21
NO. XVIII.

Our own horses, when taken west, are
deemed far superior to any other. On Q
trip 10 Kentucky, was riding on a stage.
and asked the driver where be obtsined bis
horses. He replied thatsthey came frsm
Northern New York, that they were brought
out there by some parties who had small
contract, and were liked so we'll that they
always kept them. Their own, he said, ar.
rived at maturity earlier but did not last
half as long, that the New York horses far
exceeded them iE endurance, and there was
no such thing as driving them off the track.
The Kentucky and Tennessee horses are
good for the saddle, but not for the collar.
In fact, custom is everything, and though
it will some times do much towards train.
ing horse for uses to which he is natural
ly unfit, yet any horse accustomed to the
harness can rarely be made serviceable for
the saddle, and good saddle horse is soon
spoiled if the collar is put upon him. As
the God of nature has not endowed any one
man with all knowledge, so he seems to
have distributed the qualifications of AMI.
mails, in such manner that judicious man.
agement will make each superior in q diff.
ferent and distinct sphere. / was once in
Boston looking at the immense truck horses,
and enquired where they came from. I
was told that they were obtained from the
highlands of New Hampshire and Vermont.
They were better for that purpose than
any others, while for the lighter spring carts
OF this section, the heavy eastern horse 10
not so suitable.
The slow Conestoga horse.of Pennsylva.
MA, was formerly used in teaming over the
Alleghanies they weighed from fourteen
to sixteen hundred pounds-and / have
found from experience. that they had net
the endurance to labor as the horses Of our
section.
Once the custom was to esteem the Mar.
raganset PAGER as the best horse in the
country; but that was prior to the revolu-
ton, and before my time, though well re.
collect several fine specimens Of the breed.
The horses of Carolina, Georgia, and 9th.
er Southern States, cannot work as well a.
those of mere temperate climate. In fact,
have frequently observed that the horse
attained higher degree of excellence in q
temperate section, while mules and the dar-
key are fitted for the South.
No horse can endure labor all the time.
A few moLths in the pasture after being
high fed. and worked for several years, will
renew bis energies, as stated periods OF rest
and recreation will preserve the vital ener.
gies of man unimpalred througha long life;
and by wise law of providence, which is
as benefcial-to to the beast as to the man, q
horse will do more labor in the six days,
than if he were worked the whole seven.
In feeding horse, it should be remem.
bered that corn has tendency to make
him slow, as may be witnessed in the slow
moving corn fed horses of Ohio. Oats are
more suitable 10 develop all bis qualities,
and from 10 to 16 quarts per day should bs
given.
With regard to the natural longevity Of
horse, nothing can be said with certainty.
They have been known to live 80 or 40,
and in some rare instances, even 60 years
but ill usage frequently destroys them be.
fore they are nine or ten. think that un.
der ordinary circumstances, fourteen years
would be fair average.
Too much importance cannot be placed
upon the judicious breaking and manage.
ment of this noble animal. II should be like
that Of child. By no other means can he
be reduced to cheerful and ready obedl.
ence. A sullen and dogged submission will
result, it is true, from cruel and brutal treat.
ment, but prompt and eager response to
the wish of the rider, can only be obtained
by patient kindness. think there are few
horses baulky by nature, and believe most
are made so by drivers, who are blessed
with far less brains than the horse himself
has.
On the subject of the disease of the horse,
and other points concerning him, as nearly
every one is bis own doctor, will get over
that point very quickly.
There is one thing to be remembered.
however, in obtaining good horses, which
must receive attention, or the stock will in.
evitably depreciate. It is, that the same
stud horse should never remain in the same
locality more than three or FIVE years at the
farthest. The constant mingling together
of the same blood IN the human family leads
to both physical and mental depreciation, -
is peculiarly illustrated in some of the old
crowned beads and aristocracy Of Europe
Owing to their prejudices against other
classes of society, they have intermarried
with each other, until they have become 50
closely related, that they are far inferior to
the common people. It is fact well known.
that the lower branches Of European lsgis-
lature possess far more intellectual ability
than is found in the aristocratic branches,
and it is from this cause. The superiority
of the American race is mainly owing to its
freedom from prejudices Of rank, so that
marriages are made without reference to ab.
solute high social position. The same rule
holds good with all inferior animals. There
is hardly any farmer who is not familiar
with the fact, as applied to his poultry yard;
and, as said before, it is of immense i'm.
portance in keeping up the good qualities OF
the horse; so much SO, that great disap.
pointment will surely result, if it is forgot
ten.
WAsHlNToN AND SAM.-When Stuart
was painting General Washington's por-
trait, he was rallied one day by the Gensr-
\