The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1877-05-12
THE Earnt+
Draft ard Geaeral-Purposc Horses.

\ correspondent who signs himself
" Farmer" in writing to the I" National
Live Stoci; Journal" explains why he
thinks il is almost useless to try raising
horses suitable for all purposes He
SAYS:
In looking over your valuable jour
nal, notice in q recent number a pass
age on the dissatisfaction growing out
of the practice of exhibiting the French
and Scotch draft horses in the same
ring. You claim that the difficulty
arises from getting judges who are pre-
JUDGED towards one or the other: and
to avoid this dissatisfaction, YOU pro-
pose to abolish the sweepstakes ring.
Now, | wish to ask for some informa-
ton on the draft horse-that is, at our
county fairs There does not seem to
be any established rule by which judges
are to be governed In most cases.
where | have noticed it, the premium
has been awarded to the heaviest horse,
without regard to form or action.
Now, | think it is just as necessary
for the draft horse to be well-propor-
toned as any other You will also
please give me your views on the gen
eral-purpose horse. / used to think
that was the ring in which to enter the
agricultural horse or the farm horse
but at our county fairs, nine times out
of ten, the premium is given to the
trotting horse that will weigh from nine
to eleven hundred pounds. There GER
tain!v is not farmer in Central Hi
nois who would select such Il horse to
draw the plow, wagon, or even carriage
through our deep, heavy soil: and when
we take into consideration that all bust
ness depends on the success of the far
mer, it seems strange To me that, while
there is class in which 10 enter all
other kinds of horses, there is none for
the farm horse: for, certainly, he can
not be entered in the general purpose
ring and expect to get justice. For,
while the farmer has 10 work his horse
hard five DAYS in week, he cannot ex,
pect to succeed with his light, fancy
horse. | have tried the Morgan, the
Silverheels, the Messenger, and the
Hambletonian-tha is, i cross of them
with our common mares, but | have In
variably found them too light and toe
ambitious for good corn raisers; and
as it is generally termed horse for all
purposes, |, for one, am ready to say,
that a man might just as we'll 60 to
l,,y l,ttnr,r fi.l,tc Nth tba
tation of making living, as to go to
breeding for horse of all purposes
that is if he expects to get a fast horse,
a good saddle horse, roadster, and a
farm horse, all in one.
Again, have looked upon the French
and Scotch horses with great pride
thinking cross between them and oul
best mares would give the farmer just
what be has needed so long; but there
is no place to class them, especially at
our county fairs for, while they are
not heavy enough to compete with the
full bloods, they are too heavy to enter
the speed ring.
Yet, if such a cross proves to be &
failure, as some OF our fairs seem tc
treat them, where is the farmer to find
his horse? For claim the horse that
weighs from eighteen hundred to two
THOUSAND pounds is as much out OF
place on a farm as the horse that weighs
from nine to eleven hundred pounds.
Now, if this is the case-and it is nv
experienced think it just as reasonable
to abolish the genera!-rurpose ring as
it is the sweepstakes ring, and apply q
name to that class which would ADM,
Of the farm horses being shown in it
| have used horses for the last twenty
five years, and always found the broad
heavy horse made to wear: while the
leggy, long-bodied horse, if put to work
hard work-would soon become gaunt
and tuck in the flank. | want horst
for the farm to weigh from twelve tc
fourteen hundred pounds, and as neal
the ground as can get him, with short
back and above all, to he full around
the heart, well fiankcd down, with 8
broad, fiat leg, also broad forehead