The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1870-12-06

An article on page 337 (September),
which calls attention to the use OF stall
lions as horses of all work has attracted
the attention Of many horse breeders, and
elected communication from Mr.. Joel
Henry Wells, publisher Of the Chicago
Commercial Express, enclosing an article
based upon the results Of his experience
which we copy below, and most heartily
second his suggestions for the gathering
of facts to substantate, by direct testi-
mony, our views upon this subject. We
shall be glad to hear from our readers Of
their experience whether it is for or against
the use of stations. Mr.. Wells writes:
81 have had six stations in my family
stables during the last five years, and have
three in family use now, for carriage and
saddle. They are of my own raising and
training, and we like them better than
any geldings we have ever had. They are
kind, quiet, faithful, intelligent in a SUI
perior degree. My experience is only that
of hundreds whose management in this re-
spect has been similar. Cannot, we do
more than merely suggest--can we not
gather detailed facts for more convincing
generalization on this topic.2'-The fol-
lowing is the article referred to from the
Express
Any one observant of the value and
usefulness of horses during the last ten or
fifteen years, must have noticed among
owners and drivers, change in regard to
the general opinion about the employment
of stations in ordinary work, for pleasure
which is manifested in the increased num-
Der so employed, The old prevailing
opinion was that stations were really fit
for one purpose, and unless colt showed
promise as stock progenitor,he was sure
to be made gelding in his second sum-
mer. But the fact that stations when
properly trained and prudently handled
have proved valuable in harness. superior
in all respects to geldings of the same
general qualities, is becoming more
known.
The popular belief has been and still is
to large extent that stations in harness
in ordinary work are both disagreeable
and dangerous but better knowledge
proves that if they are SO, it is the result
Of injudicious treatment, or the develop
ment of vicious disposition A stallion
is one of the most intelligent animals in
existence, and may be taught anything
that his master desires within the range
of animal intellect. Taken in training at
two or three years of age, before disagree
able or vicious habits are acquired, he
need never make any such manifestations,
and will not under proper care, unless he
comes of very bad race for dipositions
are transmitted by horses as well as by
men.
1t is we'll known that the Percheron
stations in work at France are handled
with ease and safety by woman and child
rem. Kindness and affection belong to
many races of horses, and are developed
in stations more than in either mares or
geldings. Nearly all the great feats Of
endurance have been performed by stall
lions. The best trick horses of the arena
have been stations, in fact it is next to
impossible to teach geding tricks involv-
ing superior intelligence. In the large
cities teams of stations are found to be
able to do more work and show less IA
tigue than geldings, and to be equally
quiet and safe in the street. Some of the
handsomest single horses and teams driven
for pleasure in the parks and on the aven-
ues are stations; no mare or gelding, other
things being equal, ever shows the fine
coat, the proud style, the splendid action,
Of the stallion.
1t is o disgrace to the statute-book Of
several States, that they make it penal
for farmers to allow colt to run the
second summer in pasture unless as a
gelding. The best Development of the
young animal is thus prevented. Young
stations will remain perfectly quiet in a
pasture with mares that have been stinted
with the same fence that confines other
horses. They may bel put to work at three
years, always remembering that a stallion
or mare at three is more capable ofwork
than gelding at four years. With pro-
per care in handling as colts, their habits
may be made perfectly secure, and when
they have reached five or six years, their
superior intelligence, spirit, land endurance
will amply repay the little additional trou-
BILE.
Let the stock raiser reflect for mo-
|. ment how many valuable stock-getters
have been lost to the breeder by castra-
ton before the qualities of the animal had
been developed. Dexter as gelding is
worth over S50,000-at least that money
cannot buy him-and who can say what
price he would bring but for the blunder
that destroyed his sexual organization.-
Some persons who have thought much on
this subject have concluded that stallion
will not do well in work unless the sexual
instinct is grati6cd by reproduction, that
he will become ugly, violent and intract'
! able; so he may, if pampered by high
living and Incidence, or leased by foolish
or villainous keepers, but with proper feed
ing, sensible handling, and regular work
his nervous energies will be expended ii
his muscular efforts, and the balance o.
the system be preserved
Only vicious, incorrgible brutes should
, be subjected to an operation which is {
destruction of the finest animal qualities
and a disgrace to human civilization.