Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-07-01
For the Journal
The ssCouaitry Gentleman" and
Hobby Horses.

LID. JOURNAL An Aft'cle appeaiea III
your paper, LIST ult., concerning the ''profits
of raising race horses, copied from the
Country Gentleman, and written by our
townsman, Mr.. Suel Foster. In this article
Mr.. Foster assumes that our farmers and
stock. linen have raised and are still trying
to raise 'race horses" and upon this as
sumption proceeds to discuss the ''profit" of
the thing.
Now, a ''rnce horse is a running horse
only. What is wanted in this country, and
to secure which our farmers and stock men
are laulably giving their attention, is an
animal combining speed-the speed attaina-
bic on trot-and beauty with strength and
endurance qualities that make the fast
walker in the farm team, the tylish carriage
horse for the market, and the best of the
class known as ssRoadster." A race horse,
in the true sense, (and the article before US
admits of no other,) is as far removed from
this on the one extreme as neighbor Fosters
old mare is oD the other.
Mr.. Foster, in discussing this matter, siezes
the popular side of the Grace horse' preju-
dice talks glibiy of "runa Ways" ''breaking
of carriages and wagons,' "life and limb
"boyish old men, and "betting," and then
suggests in view of all these that trotting
stock is Improbable for farmers to raise.
We think such treatment of the subject
eminently uncandid and unfar-uncandid,
because the true issue is not prese ted IN
fair, because it appeals to popular prejudice
instead of COOL sense and right reason. The
tendency ct Mr.. F.'s article is to produce the
belief that all the evils attributable to the
race course are incident to, and arise out of
| the attempt to raise an improved stock of
horses whereas bad men and no, go3d
horses are the cause of all these evils. Good
horses, like every other good thing, can be
used for bad purp oses, and may be made the
means of much evil; and it were just as wise
to object TO the raising of the best stock on
account of the evils which may arise there
from as to object to ride on the steamboat
instead of il a skltf, because somebody might
be tempted to bet, or because the boiler
might burst-or to ride in the cars inst cad of
a cart because they might run off the track
and not the rule; are generally abuses only,
originating in ignorance, ca eles<ness or bad
management.
bring the best price," is an axiom Mr.. Foster
himself will hardly undertake to deny If,
then, it costs no more to feed and keep
superior animal than it does to feed and keep
an inferior one-and, it is thought. as
IT.; |. L.
arrive at mutua und anding as to wi at
in this case constitutes superiority, in order
to settle the question Of profit beyond the
possibility OF successful contradiction. On
this point quote from the highest au hority
in America, the late WIN. II. Herbert, who,
in speaking OF the opinion "that all thor
ough -breds are long leggy and wecdy,
loosely coupled. light boneI brutes, with
no q affiliations beyond speed,' says: ut
is needless t, say ne possible idea can be
more erroneous, since it Is e<pecially IN the
feature Of the sine1os and muscles and in the
character and conformation Of his bones that
the thorough bred hor sc Of Arabian descent
Is immeasurnbly superior to every other
horse IN the knooon rorld* *"
Here, then, s g ven us the certain clue to-
wards deter mining mer' in the horse. A
superiority in sinew, muscle an bone is the
mark by which to recognize the best of all
horses-best for all purposes the dray, the
farm, or the road. To all who desire such,
and who are capable of app-eciating the fact
above suggested, we say : Breed from the
best horses in the land-thorough bred, if
possible-a don't be frightened If any body
talks loud about ''raistng race horses."
And if any Of your sons practice the
CAL L>,, bon boz ho,v
and runaway is the consequence, ne advise,
Mr.. Fosters opinion TO the contrary not
withstandiag, that you do not kill the horse,
and that you do whip the boy. 1t is the
best service you can renler to both and will
most assu-elly prom ,te your own pecuniary
interests.
AS for ourselves, we hope that all the
horses in the County OF the portable corn
crib style. gaunt, bony, and roaring eve
necked CRITTERS" will soon die off, and that
good style, good speed, and the strength and
bone will give. We hope this for the same
will take the place of old fashioned worm
fences--for the same reasons that we hope
sunaowers and pig-weeds will be banished
lilO u vi VI IuO lulihOAc W hoh0 way
for roses, verbenas and other objects of &C.
knowled ged or rare beauty, which can be
found so plentifully and bought so cheap at
Mr.. Fosters Nursery and we also hope that
at our Agricultural Fairs. when fine cattle,
big squashes and pumpkins, and nice fruit
all improved by culture-have so good a
chance to be seen, horses, also improv-
Ell, shall have fair play-all in their own Or
tha Ia cd tbo
pumpkins lying quietly in the sunshine, and
The horses in the ring-and tro-ting.
--- GLENCOE.
- .uorso nf America - Vol RI 10