The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-23
Horse Talk

(fOf The Dlsl3tcHI
Allow me 10 back up Judge hugoess Po-
sitiop In f0.dsy's paper about tne supe'
rio-jty OF moderate-sized blooo horses ny
one or two facts. ! could give good many
more, but don't want TO bore anybody
AT one time the estimate OF D'ooaeo
horses in Virginia had become quite low
from mere within. Their place was taken
by breed OF large. coid.blood saddle
horses known as "Hyatogah," eeneral'y
roam horses, fine movers Tor snort aus
tapce-strong, but without stamina; OF nnc
and snowy knee action, but soon becoming
eo.,neoru and apt TO stumble and fall.
They were going out OF fashion when l
was boy. TIE original sire OF the breed IN
Virginia was said 10 be, and no doubt was,
a cream.colored PENNSYLVANIA stallion, cut
out OF a wagon BY DR.. Walker, OF Abe.
marie. at Braddock's defeat, who escaped
urop and rode him 10 Virginia.
The late James NJ. Selden, Of Tree HUI. IN
Heprico county, himself an eminent turf
man and tirst-rate farmer, told me mat ~
that period OF depression in blo0ded STOCK
he bought for forty dollars, out OF Darcy.
town charcoal cart, little Thoroughbred
mare an inch under fourteen hands hign.
In No great while he had occasion to break
up, In hot and dry August. the low-
grounds of the Tree Hill estate, about
seventy acres. which bad been In grass Tor
several years and had become fon' and
very tough sod. For this. in addition 10
the other farm work, including the thresh-
ing of wheat, or rather the Teddlh9 II Out,
no had fifteen fine mules aud ms Mite
mare. making four four-horse plougb.tcams.
The condition OF the land made 1t about q
three.weeks' lob, and in that time all the
mules gave ont completely. The little mare
alone, with an eve like rattlesnake and
nostri like conch-shell, was rs fresh ana
fine at the end as at the beginning OF the
work. "And that mare" be concluded,
.was the dam Of Kate Kearney."
Again When a boy, in 1S29-'3O '3l, i
knew Tom Tough, by King Heiod, think.
/ haven't access 10 a stud.boOk. Have spit
mt him often through the chinkS Of bis ca
pacious log-stable to see him back his ears
and charge up To the crack. Tie was raised
by Colonel John HoOmes, OF the Bowling
Green, in Caroline county; an understood
horse, not above fifteen hands, think; u
dark sorrel, not quite chestnut. That horse
ran at Norfolk, and won four-mile race 10
six heats (twenty-four niles, owing TO dead
heats and broken beats, and 1t did not hurt
him in the least, though he was OF merry
temper. at the sale OF Co'OneI HOomes
stud, at which the late General john III.
Cooke, OF BremO, in Fluvanna, bought Rec
buck, John Rowsee. OF King William,
bought Tom Tough. and 1t was at his house
/ saw the horse in full vigOr at the age OF
twenty.four. How much longer he lived !
forget. Wouldn't you like 10 have seen
Harry Bassett brought up TO that sort OF a
scratch!
In 1886 and 1887 l saw Pzarro at the
Fairfield racp-course run and win four
mile race. OF four heats. sixteen miles. He
was a bob.tal Sir Alfred gelding at that
time, eleven years Old, and understood,
who, broke and driven TO suIky, never
made track on the turf until he was seven
years old. when be showed bis speed in
running away with The suky. How many
otergrowa LongfellOws would break down
at that sort OF work: Could one OF them
stand it tor one race! No; the stock has
dWinded. ~