Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-08-21

or two occupants, SIX or elgnt mIles an
hour, is, other things being equal, OF
more value than one that can travel but
four miles an hour. A horse is valua-
BILE for his good disposition, his beauty,
and his ability to perform service, and
service on the road is an important part
of what is required of the horse. But
our subject is Vermont horses.
1t may strike the reader as an absurdi-
ty that there is such distinction as in
dictated in our heading; in other words,
that there is any difference between
Vermont horses and horses raised in 9TH
err States. What difference we show,
if any, will appear as we proceed.
Horses in Vermont have undergone a
great change in the last forty years, and
we think in that time great improvement
has been made. Certain it is that Yer
mont, in that time, has brought out a
breed of horses-0r we should say sew
eral breeds-that have effected, not only
in Vermont, but in good portion of the
United States, an entire change. The
Morgans, the Blackhawks, the Rattlers
and the Hambletonians were essentially
Vermont horses. The original Morgan
horse. the founder of the family of
horses of that name, it is said, was
brought from Springfield, Mass, to Ran
dolph, VT, by Mr.. Justin Morgan of the
latter place. There he produced the
celebrated "Bulrush, ''Woodbury," and
fisherman" Morgans, so well known in
their day. The Morgans are small horses
but very compact and well built. They
are very graceful in their action, and for
the light carriage or buggy they are hard
w equalled. 1t is claimed by some that
they lack bottom, but this, in the opin-
ion of the writer, is a mistake. 1t is
claimed by the friends of these horses
that they are very hardy and capable of
great endurance, and their build would
sustain that opinion. Time was when
the Morgans were the most popular
horses in the State, and we believe that
the popularity was we'll deserved. The
Morgan blood now runs in the veins of a
large portion of the horses in the State.
The original Blackhawk, if we mis-
take not, was foaled in Vermont, and
was owned by Mr.. Hill of Bird
port. This horse was celebrated for
transmitting his qualities to his offspring
and for his great speed as trottcr. This
breed of horses, too. became very popu-
lar, and perhaps in later years, more eX-
tensively so than the Morgans. AS trot-
tiers they were faster than the Morgans,
full as hardy, but in the opinion of the
writer, not as fine a style of horse. On
this we are aware there is a difference
of opinion, and every man is at liberty
to enjoy his own.
1t is not so much our pupOse to discuss
the comparative merits of these two
breeds of horses, as it is to show that
they originated in Vermont, and that
they have added millions of dollars to
the value of horses in this country. 1t
may be that the Morgans and Black
hawks have had their day. The Yer
mont Horse Stock Company, and we
believe that many of the leading men
in the State, who give their attention to
the subject of breeding horses, seem now
of the opinion that we need, and that
the market now demands larger horses
than the two breeds named. In this
they may be right, quite likely they are.
The time has perhaps come when the
change the Vermont horse breeders now
&c TNf
our small horses with choice and larger
breeds may originate race that the era
we are entering upon will demand Be
this as it may, the Morgans and Black
hawks were a fine race of horses, and
from their history some facts may be
gathered very important to horse grow
ers.
Whence came the Morgans and the
Blackhawks? Says one in answer,-th
Morgans came from the Justin Morgan
horse, and the Blackhawks from Mr..
Hills famous horse. Very well. But
how came these distinct races so entire
ly different from all others, that an in
different observer can distinguish a Nor
gan or Blackhawk from a horse of any
other breed as readily as he can a horse
from a cow. The writer does not
claim to be able to answer the latter
question scientifically or understanding
", but this is evident that breeding
whether scientific or accidental we are
not informed - produced the original
Morgan and Blackhawk, gave to each
distinctive character, and to each the
power of transmitting their qualities to
their offspring. 1t is said that like pro-
duces like, but this does not hold good in
all cases. Very many a fine horse win
produce but miserable colt. This mat
ter of breeding then should be under
stood by those who raise horses. We
do not claim to be able to instruct on
this subject; we only know it to be
matter of the highest Importance to-
horse growers.
Climate, undoubtedly, has much to do
in producing horses or animals of any
kind. If Justin Morgan and Mr.. Hill
had taken their horses to the State Of
Ohio or Missouri, instead Of using them
for the improvement If stock in Yer
mont it is probable that the Morgan and
Blackhawk horses never would have
been heard of So far us the blood or |
breed is concerned other States have the |
same advantages or opportunities that !
we have in Vermont, but away from |
Vermont, or from the Eastern States, |
they have not the climate to produce |
such horses as the Morgans, Blackhawks
and the Hambletonians. The latter are
now taking the lead of all other horses
in the world as trotters The HANDLE
tonians did not originate in Vermont,
but if we are not mistaken, their trotting |
capacities were developed in this State. |
The father or founder of this race of
horses was "Bishop Hambletonian,
owned by Isaac Bishop, and kept at
Granville, some fifty years ago For
years this horse of Mr.. Bishops had no
reputation as fast horse, and if our in
formation is correct, it was not until the
colts of the bennington horse" were
found to be the leaders of the turf, that