The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-04-21
How to Improve the Native Horses of the
Rocky Mountains.


L
| Mr.. Samuel +. Taylor, of Eagle Rock,
Idaho, sends US the following letter and asks
| our advice as to the best means of improving
the native horse stock of that wild country.
He says:
| ~ have a band of the native mares of this
| country, commonly called cayuses,' which
| are too small for almost any purpose excep.
| for Indians to ride, and want to give them
| more size. They weigh from seven hundred
to nine hundred pounds. What kind of a
| horse would you recommend to breed on
| them in order TO produce the desired result Z?
| Do you think that breeding such mares to
any of the fayoriue breeds of draft horses,
such rs the Norman Percheron, would be the
proper cross tn give them size? What We
want here is good heavy team horse. Hop
ing TO hear from you fully on the subject
through the columns of the Monthly, remain
yours truly, SAML L. TAYLOR.
We have great many readers in the Pa
cific States aud in all the Territories among
the mountains, who are In the same situa-
ton as our correspondent, and we fully ap-
preciate the Importance of the request. 1t
involves the question of how best TO increase
the size and improve the useful qualities of
millions of horses. These horses are the
descendants of the "wild horses of the
plains that We loved so much to read about
when we were boy, but they are now
stripped of all romance and are simply Mex
lean mustangs. They are great nation of
horses, and to improve them is like under
takingto convert great nation of barbara
ans into an enlightened and intelligent pee-
pie. To accomplish this, the means must be
wisely chosen and persistently employed.
But, without generalizing, we must meet the
question as it comes to us and give our views
as concisely as possible.
Our correspondent informs us that the
mares weigh from seven hundred to nine
hundred pounds, and i'm his anxiety to get
"heavy team horses" he seriously asks if
he should get some of the Percheron- Nor
man stations of at least twice that weight to
breed upon these mares. The laws of Ma
ture are memorable, and in none of her
works does she express her displeasure more
emphatically than against all extreme and
violent crosses. If the result does not prove
an absolute monstrosity in the first genera
ton, the characteristics of both parents are
unsettled, and there is no telling whether
midgets or mammoths will follow A horse
of sixteen hundred pounds and family in
heritance of that weight, and mare of eight
hundred pounds or less, should nerer be
coupled together.
Beyond this question of disregarding the
laws of nature in violent crosses, comes the
question of utility and profit in the increase.
We had long and satisfactory conversation
a few days ago with very intelligent gen.
tleman from Montana, who had spent some
weeks personally investigating the very ques-
ton that Mr.. Taylor submits. He had visit |
ed good many farmers in Illinois who were
breeding French draft horses, and he found
the first cross from the French stallion on
the native mare of large size quite satisfac-
tory in very many cases, but as soon as they
commenced breeding the descendants to-
gether the produce was of very little value. |
He said the farmers W Ao Were oi needing them |
did not use them on their farms, because |
they were not suited to the various uses to |
which American farmers put their horses. |
They bred and reared them as so many fat |
steers, not to use but to sell. A horse that |
Is not suited TO the diversified uses of the |
farm, Is of necessity restricted to the heavy |
trucks, drays, etc, of our great cities and |
manufactures. To supply the demand for |
these uses, In all the cities of the Union,
there are now enough colts growing to stock |
the market for the next ten years. 1t Is our
delibel ate judgment, therefore, that If a man
should begin to-day, In Idaho, before he
could breed, rear, and bring to market bis |
first crop of half French or Clydesdale colts,
there would be no sale for them except at |
very reduced prices.
This advice as TO what not to do would be
very incomplete If we stopped without OFFER
ing any affirmative suggestions. There are
80 many trotters in California that trace In
one or two generations TO the native Spanish
mares, that we have been disposed to think
That the Mustang or Cayuse blood commin-
gles kindly with trotting or pacing blood.
We do not state this as fact that has been
by sufficient evidence to be ac-
cepted as atruth, but we have sufficient faith
IN IL to advise the selection Of trotting-b bred
stations In preference to those of any other
qualification. With all the varieties and all
be world TO choose from, we would advise
he selection Of acompactly bnih. handsome
rotting-bred horse, and q trotter himself,
Weighing eleven hundred pounds, and then
1on may expect everlasting roadsters In the
irss generation, and . fair percentage Of fiy-
ne trotters that will not tire In the second.
Bring upthe size Of your stock gradually, /,
md with the size bring up the most useful,
'opnlar, and profitable qualifications that the
American horse can possess.
DIR. Will II. Turner and MI. Tobin win
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