The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-08-01
agricultural department.
CONDUCTED BY ALBERT CHAPMAN.
Vermont Horses.

states, to dctract from the Just merits Of
Vermont horses, and to constantly assert,
that they being small and lacking height,
and weight, they were deficient in those
qualities of wind and bottom, that are so
essential to make good, lasting horse, for
the road and trotting track, and by such
persistent assertion and Misrepresentation
to advance the claims of thoroughbreds,
and other families of horses in which they
had a more direct pecuniary interest, at
the expense of the well earned, and Just
regulations of the Vermont Morgans.-
This has been so successful to a certain
extent, that even many Vermonters have
become converts to this theory, and are
decryiDg Vermont Morgans as being in so
bad odor among people abroad, that there
is no longer demand for Vermont hor-
SEES, and that resort must be had to the
thoroughbred, and other families of tall.
er horses to improve ours of Vermont, so
there may again be demand for them
abroad.
Now we have had different idea all
the time, and from time to time, have
dissented from this view Of the subject,
believing that no horses from abroad
possessed all the requirements for the
road, or even the trotting track, as the
Vermont Morgans, and if they were pro-
perly developed and bred with care, and
discretion, and some of the best blood kept
at home instead of being sold off entirely
TO improve the horses in other states,-
Vermont need never import from other
sections, the blood of other families Of
horses to prevent their deterioration, or
fear that other breeds or races would sup
plant them in the public estimation, as
Vermont Morgans would in the future as
in the past, prove themselves the best and
most enduring, as well as most desirable
of all road horses, if they were bred with
care, and not suffered to deteriorate in
their own land Nor have we been will.
ing to admit that Vermont blood had suf-
iered such fast depreciation in public
estimation abroad, as those interested in
building up the regulations of other bloods
would fain have us believe, and we asser-
ted Mt the meeting Of the Board of Agri-
culture, at Brandon, that we thought that
the same horse would still sell all the
better abroad for having Vermont blood
in his pedigree. Since we ma dc that as
sertion, two important sales of horses
have been reported, from which we pro-
pose to bring forward some facts to prove
the correctness of our position. The IA,
Of June there was sale of horses by Mr..
Edwin Thorn, of Thorndalc, Duchess
County, N. Y, at which there was sold
% head of horses, mostly of other trot-
ting blood than Vermont Morgans. The
average price paid was fraction less
than $3.50 each or an aggregate of $3.50
The highest price paid for any of the
etalions was 1926, which was paid for
young stallion out of a Morgan mare
The highest price paid for any of the FL
lies was s445, which was paid for
three year old FLY out Of Vermont
Black Hawk mare, nearly 5000 more than
was paid for the next best FLY of her own
age, and SIS more than any other older
FLY bought at the same place. We claim
that this sale as far as it goes proves the
correctness of our position, but by far the
most marked case we can bring forward
is the sale Of Gold Dust Stock, by Mr.. l..
l.. Dorsey, Jr., at Eden Stock Farm near
Louisville, KY, May 31st, where 80 hor.
SEES were sold for s23 900 in the aggregate
or an average of about 5000 each, most
of this stock was bred from Gold Dust, a
horse owned by Mr.. Dodge, and deriving
the most Of his eXcellencies from cross
Of Vermont Morgans, upon Kentucky
thoroughbred mare.
These facts certainly do not Indicate
any lack of confidence among the public
abroad in the Vermont bloods, and we
sincerely hope Vermonters at home
may not feel such lack in the excellencies
Of their own horses, as will cause them to
unduly depreciate their own stock, and
give false impression of their worth
abroad, by too great exaltation Of other
stock, so long as the very people most
deeply interested fail to invest their money
there, instead of paying such prices for
Vermont blood, with which to improve
their own less valuable thoroughbreds
and other trotting families of horses
We do not remember any other sale
where so high an average was obtained,
as at this Of Mr.. Dorsey's. We would
mention two other important sales, one at
Montreal, and another at Walnut Grove
Farm Indiana. The former by John
Shedder, at which were sold 40 horses,
largely thoroughbreds, at an average Of
about $3.50, or sl4,06O in the aggregate.
At the latter, twenty-four horses were
sold for $500, or about 1856 each.
Both these sales were for extra thorough
bred, and trotting stock, but it will be
seen that the average was far behind
that Of Mr.. Dorsey's. 1t is very true
that blood will tell, and we think the
record will show that Vermont blood is
better than any other, when such facts as
the above prove in the matter of dollars
and cents the larger average value Of
Vermont blood. We are perfectly aware
and willing to admit that among these
other families OF trotters, az well as
among the thoroughbreds, there are many
very fast and valuable animals, that
bring great prices, but we still contend
as We have, that the highest average
value is with the Vermont horses, and
that that blood will more surely improve
and enhance the marketable value of
thorough breed and other horses, than
that Of any other family and race. In
this connection we would say that it is to
be regretted, that the money invested in
the Vermont Horse Stock Company
should all have been expended on blood
from abroad of doubtful superiority, in
stead Of reserving part to preserve, and
improve some of the best of our Vermont
Morgan blood. We think the company
will realize this very forcibly in the
future We certainly do believe that the