Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1885-12-26
A PERCHERON HORSE FARM.
WHERE THE JUMBO OF EQUINE
STEEDS IS RAISED.
Twenty five Square Miles of Territory
i'm Colorado Devoted to Raising
Fine Draft Horses,


Twenty-Five Square Miles of Territory
i'm Colorado Devoted to Raising
Fine Draft Horses.
A Denver (Col.) letter to the Chicago
Tribune describes the visit of party of
Eastern gentlemen to the extensive
breeding ranches of the Percheron
Horse company. The party left the
train at Dixon. Conveyances were in
waiting, and the party were driven ten
miles to one Of the ranches of the COM
pany. These are six in number-tive of
them located on the plains few miles
to the south of the Burlington road, and
the sixth in Ebert county. near Eliza
beth station, on the Denver and New
Orleans road. They cover an area of
about twenty-five square miles, and on
this vast range horsefcsh is supreme and
the Perchcron is the king. The drive
across gave visitors an opportunity to
get an idea of the extent of the domain
owned by the company and the native
grass upon which the stock is kept. I'm
mense stacks of hay showed that there
was no danger of starvation should
heavy snowfall cover the ground for any
length of time The fact was made
serve been drawn upon, and that as
spring approached the hay had been
marketed yearly, while the stock found
plenty of fresh, nutritious grass for
their consumption.
But the ranch and its stables were
reached, and the visitors were eager to
see that portion of the stations which arc
kept there. 1t must not be forgotten
that this is only one of the six central
stations of the company. Here in
number of roomy box-stalls the great,
handsome fellows are kept. Each stall
has a portion of ground outside for its
occupant, wherein he reigns supreme.
Each holds a stallion, some jet glossy
black, dark notified gray and some
lighter gray. These are the only colors.
A bride was thrown over their heads,
and they were brought out to where
they could be better seen. When one
raised himself on his hind legs his head
would tower high above the tallest gi-
raffe, and the party admitted that they
were the Jumbos among the horses.
From one point of interest to another
the party passed, and, sooner than ex-
pected, lunch was announced. While
the visitors were at lunch the men were
out gathering in q bunch of horses. On
they came, from over the rising ground,
and still they kept coming, until the cor
rails were nearly filled. Among them
were stockings, yearlings and two-year-
olds. and the forms of the youngsters all
showed strong marks of their Percheron
sires. These were prominent even among
the quarter blooded colts. AS they
were thus gathered in there was bet
ter opportunity to examine them
closely and see what the bunch really
contained. There were some very
handsome two year olds, and all of
the younger stock are in fine condition.
There are 3.4O0 head of horses on the
company's ranges. Rosa Bonheur's
painting of "The Horse Fair" gives an
idea of these Percheron horses, but to see
them in all their glory they must be
seen alive, that their motion may add to
the picture, just as a photograph may
be o portrait true in all its details of
f,rm and feature, but the spirit and
motion are wanting TO bring reality be-
fore the spectator.
The inquiry may arise why Percheron
orscs are so specially desirable, and
why should they lie raised in such
Quantities Where is the demand for
them, and to what uses are they espec
iellv reaui ed? One visit to the breed
ing ranch will quickly furnish an an
swer to a host of such questions. The
Percheron occupies the same relation to
the working horses that the fine thor
! ough- bred does to the racing stock.
Graded from the colossal thorough
IT.