Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1871-06-09
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For the Bellows Falls Times.
Horse Breeding.

breds, each of which has its superiority
over the Others Our present breeds Of
horses are undoubtedly less healthy than
those of our ancestors, and this tendency
of unsoundness is not marked in any par
ticular department of the animal econo-
my, but the defect shows itself wherever
the strain is greatest, from the nature OF
the work which the animal has to per-
form.
The breed that combines the most val
liable properties for domestic use, and
unites the most qualities adapted to prac-
teal purposes, is the most useful in the
stud. II is not enough to procure well
bred stallion the mares must be suited
to the horse and adapted to the purpose
required. There are some stations that
have gained high reputation for get
ting good stock out of all kinds Of mares
but these are exceptions to the general
rule, The colts will generally inherit
the good and bad qualities of both sire
and dam. 1t is poor policy to breed
from horse with contracted feet, SPAWN,
ringbone, sprung knees, string-halt,
heaves or weak eyes. What is bred in
the bone may come out in the flesh. In
choosing a stallion to breed from, for
speed. the first thing to consider is his
pedigree. Many breeders will differ
from this opinion, but it is not hastily
expressed. The longer the lines of trot-
ting descent in his pedigree and the
more numerous they are the greater will
be the probability that his colts will in
herit the desired quality. Next to pedi-
gree should be considered the speed,
bottom, health, size, style, color, &c. If
the pedigree is good, and the horse sound
he will beget fast colts, though he may
not himself be fast, but if he has the
speed too, so much the better
In breeding for speed, it should be re-
membered that size is important if the
colt turns out fast, and still more if be
does not. If he is large enough for TAX
ing carriage with two persons over a
common road at lively gait, the breed
ing was not failure, though he may
not be very fast.
The style and color are matters Of
taste about which each breeder will
make his own choice. Let every mar
breed what he likes, but / would no
have him force the produce on the pub
lie as sound, when he knows they are al
most sure to go amiss as soon as they ar,
worked.
have been a breeder of horses fo
forty.two years, and have learned from
experience that "like begets like
Each class of horses should be bred b,
itself
"Old Clifford Morgan" in his day, wa
one of the best stock horses for gen
eral use ever in New England. One O
his colts, known as "Green Mountain
Morgan" or "Silas Hale horse" left
numerous family of handsome, livel,
trotters, nearly all of which becam
lame in their fore feet, and some even t,
the fifth generation His advent to thi
vicinity was loss of many thousan,
dollars to breeders. The name of "Greel
Mountain Morgan or Hale horse" il
this vicinity, is about synonymous will
worthlessness and will long remain in dis
repute though this particular son inheri
ted his constitutional tendency to lame
ness from his dam, as the Clifford Nor
mans elsewhere, are not charged with tn
same defect.
Messengers or Hambletonians, at thi
day are the great fountain head of trot
tiers. Old Hambletonian was a dar
bay, 10 hands / inch, beautifully mould
ed and without single weak point. H
was the size of the Remington or Hal
ris horse, who was the sire of more fas
trotters than any horse in Vermont Q
New Hampshire. Many of the wellbre
Messengers or Hambletonians have larg
heads-so has Robert Bonner-the owl
err of Dexter, but he gets there first.
No trotter attains his greitest spec
before maturity, and the best of thel
continue to improve up to fifteen an
eighteen years Of age. To do this,
horse must have good constitution. on
that will carry him to great age witt
out disease, and will stand the hard wor
necessary to develop his powers. Bree,
ing from such horse. will therefore in
prove the stock of the country not on
in speed but also in stamina.
The best thoroughbreds in New En-,
land are descendants from Glencoe, Be
ton and Lexington, some persons clai
that the true way to produce trotter,
to breed to thoroughbred. This h,
been experimental here for fifty-thr,
years or more, and has proved a failur
The racer and the trotter are necessaril
made differently, and at flying pai