St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-14
THEORIES OF BREEDERS.
The American Is Better Than the
British.

HEORIES OF BREEDERS.
The American Is Better Than the
British.
J. Browse oldrieve, in Western Resources.
In contrasting horse-breeding as fol-
lowed by the farmers in America and
England, 1t appears to an incomer, that
whilst the English breeder has evolved
and maintained in purity two. at least.
distinct types Of horses, viz: The draft
and the runner the latter hereinafter
STYLED by its proper designation the
'thorOughbred'') making crosses OF the
pure stallion on mOngrel mares for SD :
ordinate purposes, in ways described
further on, the American farmer in a
great measure still clingS to the gen
eral purpose horse" idea, that Jack-of-
all-trades and master of none. Many Of
the more advanced have abandoned,
or are about to, that unsolY-
able problem doubtless. but to the
others the pursuit Of the general
purpose horse" as breed, appears
to be as fascinating as the search for
tie philosopher one. A most amusing
description was lately given in ali On
taFlo (Canada) newspaper OF this CHI
n.era- A prize being offered for gen
eral-purD0se horse" which was defined
Is an animal good in saddle, in draft
and to drive in buggy; the only two
qualities admitted apparently being
that he should be tender and we'll
favored, either roast or boiled. Ger
tainly the horse is largely partaken of
as food on the continent OF Europe, but
II is more than doubtful ii the Anglo
Saxon or his crosses will ever take
kindly to eating horse. An English
breeder contemplating raising what IS
called there ivan" horse or ma
chiner," similar in build to what is
called in America PercherOn, takes a
ligft-legged, tall, common mare and
The result is almost invariably
the animal required. Such an
animal would usually in this
country be styled draft" and even if
big III body heavy draft" This mis-
description of horse so bred tends to
confusion and contradiction in terms,
and may be remarked in passing. To
procure a ''brougham'' horse, that is
heavy single driver of the most power
fui type, top-crOss mare Of the ivan"
type with a thoroughbred" stallion.
This cross is a little less certain than
the first mentioned, from the obvious
reason that there is greater conflict of
blood" but when successful nagnifi-
cent animal for the purpose is procured,
capable Of drawing heavy close car
rage. weighing some 1,d00 pounds, ana
carrying four persons at a seven or
Picht-minute gait with eaSe-thlS pace
being the maximum required for car
riageS or this class. 1t may be NELL
Toned here that rapid driving on the
streets or roads is considered vul-
gar, and provokeS the remark
TO the c0aehman: ''Draw on
one side. Give the butcher-bOy
room to pass to deliver his meat; he
must not keep the cook waiting" Be-
sides which, anything approaching what
would be styled fast driving here would
bring on the prompt interference OF the
police, a summons TO the court and
fine. An animal with more style and
quality is bred by giving a heavy
.'brOugham type" mare another cross Of
IT, thoroughbred. The ''hunteT,' that
Is the horse that is used for riding after
the hounds at Il great speed and leaping
every obstacle in the way, is ali animal
bred by cross of the thoroughbred"
on mares possessing from two to six
crosses to the thoroughbred. Many are
undiStinguishable from thorough
breds" ia appearance, except that they
have generally little more bone ana
substance" Many thOrOughbreds
which are too big and coarse tor racing
are also used for this sport. They have
more than the necessary weight-carry-
ing power. but lack a little iii racing
speed, SO often make the very best hunt
ers. Of sub types Of British horses may
be mentioned the coach horse, COM
prising the Cleveland Bay and the
Yorkshire coach horse. the latter being
a blend of the Cleveland Bay and thor
Oughbred, according to some a great inI-
prOYement in quality If not III style,
which is disputed by others. Whether
either will maintain its presentStandard
OF excellence without all occasional dip
OF thoroughbred" time alone will show.
Long practice and experiment has con-
WINGED the British breeder taat there
can be no such ''breed" as a general
purpose one. Some horses have much
greater range of usefulness than others,
but the excellence of one branch in
Variably reduces that OF the other, viz:
A gain of speed is a loss of power, or
vice versa. On the American size there
Is very much 10 commend in the hand
ling of young colts and bringing them
up gentle from the start. In this par
IlculdT TIE tdTiiftES Ol Ills StuC dl e ldI
in advance. In England the usual prac-
tice is rather to repel any advances of
the foal towards familiarity. from the
idea that a tame colt often makes
a vicious horse" The originator of
this idea was probably from the same
stock as the ''hoilOw horn" discOyerer.
The crOsS-breedS so reared are often
somewhat difficult to break, but it has
but little effect on the pure drafts. which
are usually broken at the early age of
two years with but little fuss, light work
in conjunction with liberal feeding be-
ing found TO aid development, so that at
four they are fit for heavy work on the
macadamiZed roads and t0De-paved
STREETS. In the trotting for speed there
is no comparison whatever TO be made
between the two countries. America is
first. England nowhere. In the latter
country the entire attention of the rae
ing men has been directed to the devel
Opment of running. There is said to be
a dawning interest in racing-trOtting,
but whether this will become perma-
nent attraction or not in England it is
impossible to say. TrOtting there is en-
tirelY for STYLE" that is, high and ele-
giant action. and speed is Of no account
beyond an eight or ten miles All hour
gait at the most. The conclusion proba-
bly arrived at by those giving these
facts careful consideration VIII be that
the British theory Of breeding is the
more correct, whilst the American Sys-
TEN Of handling is by far the better.