Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-06-03
Rfom the Country Gentleman.l
of RH iSimC Race HOrses

MEssRs. EDIroRs Something more than
two years ago, ! wrote an article for the
Prairie Farmer, (Chicngo) on this subject,
which piece you did ne the honor to copy
into your most valuable farmers paper,
commencing the general principle of the
article, which went decidedly against our
agricultural societies Offering premiums,
aud encouraging the practice OF turner's
raising race horses. That article has been
the subject of much criticism by the press
in different states, some approving andsome
disappearing, and one now by W. II. Ladd,
in the Country Gent. of May 9th, which /
wish to notice.
| wish it recollected that l referred to
two instances of improbable race stock at
this place. One was good for. nothing an
imal which had nothing but speed, and
which took the first premium of our county
agricultural society-no other qualification
only as a race horse. The other case was
some fine-looking stud horses, brought from
Hamilton county, Ohio, with silcer cups
from that county society. Of course, our
farmers thought them fine stock, and they
were nothing else looked fine, and came
highly recommended from that Farmer's
Society. Our farmers bred from them,
the mennest stock that erer aoas in this State.
1t may be said that these are isolated
instances. appeal to the public generally,
and beg of farmers to look about their
neighborhoods, and count up every animal
which has been bred for fas. blood, or which
has been bred for service.
Friend Ladd classes the Morgans as race
horses. call them first-rate farm horses.
That is the stock would always recommend
when we can't get anything better that is,
first have them good farm horses, which
combines gentleness, strength, activity and
size and when you cannot get all this in a
large horse, take small one.
Friend Ladd is wide of the mark, when
he says farmers raising race horses will
average $3.50. Has he done it? | have
trotted my big farm horse 80 miles in three
hours and twelve minutes. 1t is Just as
fair to state that, as the speed OF farm
horses, as it is for friend L. to give those
prices as the average OF fast stock.
| The question is, the 'sprOit." Shall we
LOOK at the runaways-the breaking OF car
riages and wagons-or limb and life? If
your sons practice the speed of their horses
when they get together, they are no longer
safe horses. A few runaways, and you had
better kill the horse than keep him. And
then the boys and the boyish old men, if
hey see horse which is sure to win, think
it no harm in betting little. never knew
trotting or race match at State or County
Fair, but that there was betting upon IT,
Not two we eks ago, it devolved upon me to
give casting vote against premium by
our county for the 'sbest trotting time."-
Several farmers have congratulated our So.
ciety on the prospect of drawing tight rein
on the fast ones of town. Attraction, to
get the fee at the gate of tho fair ground, is
the only argument. But attractions, for the
sake OF fee for the sight, are not always to
be approved.
l have felt that this practice of trotting
matches and running matches on public &C :
casions and private, was so injurious to
horses, their character and safety, and dam
gerous to drivers, especially women, and
among farmers an Improbable stock to raise,
so that would urge upon every agricultural
society and agricultural paper, that has the
true interest of the farmer in view, to dis
countenance 1t. SUEL FOSTER.
Muscdtine, Iowa.