Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-01-08
MuzzEY HORSE AND MUZZEY MARE.
PETERBORO, n. H., Dec. 4, 1895.

MuzzEY HORSE AND MUZZEY MARE.
PETERBoRo, y. H., Dec. 4, 1885,
J. BATTELL, ESQ, Middlebury, Vt.
Dear Sir:-After seeing you the 23d OF
Nov. recalled the names of % men who
might give information respecting the Muz-
zey Horse have seen Il of them and think
have learned all obtainable facts.
| In 1914 or 1915, n stallion called the Grey
Eagle said to be an imported horse, was kept
in town for service Grey Eagle was large
powerful horse, spirited, of beautiful dapple
grey color, and then quite old; pedigree un.
known, but presumably of English thorough.
bred stock This was the sire of the Muzzey
Horse. The dam was n three or four-year.old
colt, then unbroken, dark bay in color, black
points, rather tall but not weighing al matur.
ity over (aboutl $50 lbs; pedigree unknown.
She was then owned by Thomas Staurt of
Pcterboro. The Muzzey Horse was foaled in
lSl6, at Stuart's farm and dam and colt were
soon after sold to John MuZZey of Pcterboro.
The horse was hereafter known as the Muzzey
Horse. Muzzey kept him until four years old
and sold him to George Senter of Pcterboro
for $50. At this time the colt was undevelop.
ed and not very promising, "tapering at both
ends and not filled up in the middle" He
got quite Il number of colts when three and
four years old, but was not regarded as valua-
bic for II stock horse, and after keeping him
II few months, Scnter sold him for SIS to
stevens of Clarcmont y. Ia horse dealer
who took him To BOSTON and sold him to work
in Il truck, where lee worked five or six years.
BY that time his cots developed so as to show
his value for stock, and stevens bought him
back again and kept him for fourteen or IF.
teen years for stock purposes in this part of
New Hampshire. He stood one or two years
each nj Peterboro, Dublin, Hancock, Nelson
and Stoddard and for some years made the
circnit of these and other towns. About 1910
or ls4l he was kicked by marc-and his leg
broken-at Amherst, n. H.; so he had to be
killed. He was then in charge of Mark Per.
kins of Amherst, The Muzzey Horse was
about Is - hands high; weighed In ordinary
coh''l'ioh from 1000 to 1850 lbs. had a beauti-
iul eye, neat clean BEAD stout but not beety
neck, powerful shoulder strong back and
loihs, hips and shoulders well set on; wide,
flat legs; sound feet; immense muscular
force; majestic carriage, great courage, en-
durance and wind-and though no record of
his speed is known to exist, he had all the
qualities requisite for speed. He was sure
stock getter, and transmitted his qualities
with remarkable uniformity to his colts
When a colt he was yellow.sorre in color
At maturity he was n bright bay, with black
points and grew darker as he aged. So
strongly were his progeny marked by him
that to the third and fourth generation the
type was clearly recognized at sight Nearly
every one was bright bay in color and all had
II blotch of white on the nigh hind leg lust
above the hoof. Some of his colts were kept
for stock purposes after the death of the old
, horse; but the individuality of the race is now
lost. The stock developed late, and did not
mature until seven or eight years Old and did
good work until thirty years old The mares
; were roomy and Widespread and made excel
celleut dams. The stock was by no means
ragged" across the hips, but broader. backed
and longerquartercd than the recognized
Morgan type, being nearer the type of what
regard the Bulrush Morgan to be. They were
the most distinct and most valuable type of
horses ever known here. For all purposes OF
n farm or family horse no stock could be bet
ter adapted; wonderful combination of
: nerve, strength, docility, endurance and long.
, evity. They would work hard or drive all
day and kick up the moment they were out OF
harness-gamey, Notwithstanding the hard.
est usage. Some of them developed n tendcn-
cy to grow hollow-backed in old age to an ex-
tent that amounted to dcformity when very
aged. do not remember this defect to exist
except in case of the stock of one noted breed.
ing mare, however and ii might not haya
been inherent in the original stock. No en-.
} closure would hold them and nearly all OF
them would jump any farm fence. Fabulous
tales are told of the jumping fcats of Little
Lion, II gcding of this stock who is said ia
have cleared II bar rail eight feet from the
ground, where he had good runway on
, slightly descending ground. The fact of their
jumping proclivities, 0hey seemed in gener-
al to prefer jumping to standing stilD points
toward English hunting stock as the origin OF
Grey Eagle. With regard TO the "Muzzey
boys" and the "Muzzey mare" so.called both
men and mare were of entirely different fam
lilies of those have described. So faras can
learn, the "MuZZey mare" was owned by the
"Muzzey boys" in Weir, y. H., from 1880 and
l. (who also took her name from her owner
I was an entirely different type from the stock
of the 'MuZZey Horse" but what she was
2 cannot say.
Any further information / can get / will
communicate. Since ! commenced writing
: have seen one man from whom hoped to get
additional facts, but nothing not already
5 stated was learned, but he gave corroborativc
testimony. OF four other men not vet seen,
three are quite unlikely to have any positive
knowledge. have not spent very much time
in the research-perhaps one.half day; but
by catching men as they passed my office, or
on the street, have been able to accom-.
plish in the investigation what would have
required at least two days and fifty miles
> drive to secure if 1t had been necessary to see
, the parties mt home. Have seen men who
lived lat the time the horse was here) in five
adjoining towns, and think | have pretty
! nearly accomplished what can be done. You
may have some trace OF Grey Eagle in some
pedigrees in your posession-between 1900
and 1920. If so you can trace one side.
Yours very truly,
c. WILDER.