Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-04-21
Tbs Coming Colt,
Cincin natl Commercial.

Many farmers and others are Just
about now discussing whether they
shall raise colt this year. Whether
or not it will pay will depend. The
questions OF condition of the mares,
whether the work to be done by them
will make it safe or advisable, wheth-
er the colt can be cared for when it
shall come, and SO on, can best be
considered by each individual. After
one has decided TO raise a colt, the
very important question then is,
what kind of sire shall it have.
Breeding colts is not a thing of luck
70 chance. 1t is both an art and a
science. Breeding has risen above
the plane of laundering and guess
work. If one wishes road horse, he
must not breed to Clydesdale or
Norman. If he wishes draft horse,
he must not breed to race horse.
For heavy truck horses, he would,
however breed to a Clydesdale or Nor
man. The average farmer does not
need these enormous animals. TIE
profitable farm horse should not be
too large, but active and handy, with
size and power enough to move the
burden of the pillow or farm wagon
with ease, and promptly and steadily.
The farm horse wants good action as
well as good size. He has to do his
work often under adverse influences
His burden can not be moved on even
roads, but he must move his load over
soft ground, through bitches, over hills
and hollows, in close quarters and
tight places often. He then must
have nerve and pluck not to give up,
al d yet he must not be nervous, too
excitable and impatient. He must
be ready to move off freely, or to go
at a snail's pace, as the case may be.
He must be quick to learn the great
variety of work be is called to perform
and he must be patient and yet not
stupid. An infusion of the high bred
trotting horses, of good temper, strong
bone and staying qualities with q
cold blood mare of good qualities.
will likely give as good results as any
cross that we fal mers can hit.
When we say trotting blood we
mean a horse of good trotting action,
and about sixteen hands high, and
not one Of the thousands of rats call
ed trotters.
Our experience with this kind of
cross is, that with good substantial
farm mares we get a colt of good
size and action, that is well suited to
farm work and can trot off on the
road as fast 80 any farmer wishes to.
They are handy, prompt, valuable
horses. II care is taken TO breed for
good color and style we hit often
fine carriage or coach horse, that
sells readily in any market.
If, however, such cross can not
be secured, perhaps the next best is a
medium sized, close made Clydesdale
of good color. with clean bone and
good feet. Next comes the Percheron.
Norman, if not elephantine in proper
tious. Importers have gone to an ex-
cess, and not brought us the most
servicable of this noble breed. The
medium sized close made, compaclly-
built horse of this breed, with good
action and clean bone and strong hoof, ,
would give us a valuable class of
horses. But the half~bloods have not
the good MIDDLE piece and well turn
ed hip and clean head that attract
the average buyer. The color too is
against them. Americans do not
need to trust to any Of these doubtful
importations for an improvement OF
our horses We have the best general
purposed horse any nation in the
world has ever produced. Tue Amer
lean trotting horse is many times o
more noble and valuable animal than
the Arab horse, though he has not the
inflnence of tradition and song, and
poetry and eastern legends in his ia.