Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1867-10-04
Vermont State Fair.
DISCUSSION UPON HORSES.

| There was a meeting, on Tuesday
evening, Sept. 10, at the Town Hail.
Brattleboro, for the purpose of dis.
cussing the question, "What is the
most profitable breed of horses for
Vermont, and how shall they be bred
and trained ?"
! Mr.. L. L. Tucker, of South Royal
ton, commenced the discussion by
stating the great Importance to every
farmer and stock breeder in the
State, of securing just such informa-
ton as was contemplated in the ques-
ton proposed. He supposed that
fully one-ffth of the whole money
value of live stock in Vermont was
invested in horses. Of the horses
raised in Vermont, not more than
one-fourth of them are used in the
State, the remaining three-fourths be.
ing sold for use out Of the State. He
regarded the roadster as the best
breed of horses to be bred and raised
in Vermont, and also the most profit,
able. The Middle and Western
States can produce better draft horses
than Vermont can, but the soil and
the water Of these hilly regions are
just what are needed to produce feet
and wiry horses for travel on the
road. Mr. Tucker was of the opin-
ion that what may be called the Yer
mont breed of horses are the best
horses to be raised in the State. He
deprecated the custom of selling the
best stations and brood mares and
keeping the poorest ones. The
very best mares and stations should
be kept for breeding, but if the
selling the best and keeping the
poorest is continued, the State will
certainly lose her prestige in the
horse market.
He regarded any breed of horses
less than fifteen and a half hands
high and weighing less than one
thousand pounds, as below the pres
ent market stand, and therefore unfit
to be raised. If people raise horses
that do not come up to this standard
they will have to search after custom
ers. 1t was true that the Morgan
breed Of horses did not come up tC
this standard, but that did not prove
that increased height and weight
would not be an advantage. Atten
ton must also be paid in breeding tc
style and speed. Within the last few
years the demands of the people il
regard to speed had entirely changed
There are very few men now who
care to buy horse at any price thai
cannot trot a mile in four minutes
More money is annually paid for fas
| horses within a ten mile radius of
| New York, than is realized for al
the horses sold in Vermont. People
who raise horses and want to sci
them must raise such horses as people
want to buy, and, therefore, speed
must be regarded by breeders. 4
first class trotter is always a frs
class horse. and the best trottins
horse is the best horse for Vernon
men to raise. Flora Temple was
formerly kept in livery stable anC
was favorite for driving, and Lady
Suffolk, with all her speed, was Sc
gentle that a woman could harness
her and drive her anywhere. The
original Morrill, horse was worked fol
two years in an OK cart fitted up Will
shafts before his owner found ou
! that he owned a trOtter. Just a;
long as the American nation is pros
porous, American people will have {
fancy for trotting horses for outdoor
recreation, and there need be no feal
. of the market running out. The three
things necessary for a good trottel
and a good horse are energetic dispo
sition, gait, and .docility in harness
Mr.. Tucker expressed his opinion
that faster and better horses can bt
raised in Vermont than in Orang,
county, New York, or Long Island
if the proper attention was only paid
, He himself once owned Draco Prince
: and sold him for $3.50, and a few
days ago his owner was offered $35,
. 900 for him. He urged the impor
tance of forming an association OF
? horse breeders in Vermont, and b,
believed that by that means horse
raised and trained here could be sole
: at as high figures as any in the coun
t try. Unless some pains were takel
l to raise horses that could meet tn,
demands of the public, the none,
paid for first-class horses would 60 t.
t some other place than Vermont.
r Mr.. E. S. Stowell, of Cornwall, wa
f the next speaker, and he made SOM
5 statements showing how it had beer
that the Vermont horse raisers hat
;, lost the command Of the market. Th
Morgan horses were good horses fo
: stage coaches, but railroads had su
perseded stages and Morgan horses
: The Black Hawks made very goot
2 appearance in a carriage, but the.
l were not fast enough to suit the cit,
markets. He believed that the Or
, ange county Hambletonian horse wa
: the best horse for Vermont to raise
: and the only way to regain control OF
A the market was to get the best horse
: possible, and keep them and bree'
i from them. He was opposed to try
e ing to make trotters out of youn.
9 horses, for he thought they needed t.
have strength and pluck before th
severity of that training could b
a safely resorted to. He urged the i'm