The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1872-08-13
The PcrchcrOn Horse.

The American Farmer for June con-
tains an account Of a visit at the stables
of Mr.. W. r. Walters OF Baltimore,
whose importations Of Percheron horses
have been heretofore alluded to iu our
columns. We make the following ex.
tract
These Percherons are tall horses, av-
eraging perhaps l2l hands, and looking
heavier than they reall y are. Their color
is gray, the shade ranging from almost
white to deep steel, generally becoming
lighter az the horse grows older. The
head is short, with great width between
the eyes, which are bright and Expressive;
the neck is short, but broad and well
"rrhed : the chest wide and capacious
the quarters very broad, and the BODY
well ribbed up; the legs are muscular
and notlceably short from the knee to
the fetlo k; the name and tail heavy and
Of fine texture. The muscles aud sinews
feel like bundles ofwres. Notwthstand.
ing :heir size, they possess spirit and
freedom Of action. which makes the
Percheron a stylish horse. The general
impression that he is a coarse, heavy
horse, is erroneous, arising from inspec-
tions of specimens i'll bred injudiciously
selected.
The experience of Mr., Walters with
the Percherons is more extended than
that ofany other person in this country,
both as regards the length of time he has
kept them and the number constantly n
his stables, and of course mis- estimate of
their merits is peculiarly valuable.
He regards them as the hardest, most
docie, and the easiest kept race existing.
They will live on the poorest fare and the
least in quantity; they reach maturity
sooner, and can earlier be made self.
supporting :hau any other breed That
they are well adapted To this climate il
proved by their withstanding the vicissi-
tudes Of heat and cold better than our ma
tive horses, not one on this place ever
having had on blanket even in the most
inclement weather Such thing as Il
Percheron beiug "off his feed" for sin.
gle day is unknown, except in case Of
one stallion which died in consequence
Of injuries received on the voyage across
the Atlantic. Notwithstanding their size
they are very quick in action, some OF
the mares having been driven by Mr.,
Walters twelve miles in an hour aud
as a specimen of their endurance he men.
toned to us mare which he saw in Per-
che, which harnessed to tiibury. made
over a hilly aud difficult road 30 81 miles
in 4 hours and - minutes Spawn
ring bone and similar disease, are in this
breed entirely unknown
The docility of the horsrs is wonderful,
it being remembered that the males are
never gelded. This mildness comes from
the long course of gentle and patient
treatment which they receive among their
native hills, where the horse, only in
less degree than with the Arabs, is con-
sidered the friend and companion of man,
1t frequently happens, on Mr.. Walters
place, that one of the stations is harm
essed abreast Of mare and then driven
by young lady In Percha the colts
are put at Is months at light work
sufficient to make them earn the cost OF
their keep, and on this place, their train
ing begins at l6 months-the term not
indicating, however, that break-ueck
operation, so dangerous both to man and
horse, generally called "breaking" AL
are handled from an early age, aud every
colt, mare aud stallion that We saw seem
ed as gentle as kitten.
The Percherons, like the thoroughbred
20 back to the Arab blood of the desert
That they are a pure and distinct race
cannot he doubted, aud that they pro
duce their like in every case is wei
settled. An illustration of this is fonnt
iu the progeny of Que Of Mr.. Walters
stations, which number in one county Of
this state go colts, ever one of whicl
is gray, although their danes were o
every conceivable color
lie that is not open to conviction is no