Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1889-02-09
THE MONTANA HORSE.

Appended is an excellent article on the
Montana horse, written by Robert
Vaughn, of Great Falls, the well.known
ranch owner and breeder of fine horses
We reprint 1t from our annual number
in order that it may receive still wider
circulation. 1t will be seen that MIR.
Vaughn is fully in accord with Commits
sioner Colman regarding the merits
of the Montana horse:
II do not think there is, as you ask my
opinion, a country better adapted to
breed and raise horses than Montana,
and l do not know of any as good. L
have been raising horses in Montana for
the last fifteen years. During this time
the mares and young stock have been
out on the range winter and summer. l
never have had to bring'an in to feed,
even during the severest winters. Two
feet of snow does not prevent the horse
from getting to the grass. He will paw
with one foot and then with the other,
and the colder it is the more diligently
will he paw. In this way he keeps warm
gets plenty to eat and is always in
GOOD condition. From the middle OF
MAY until the middle Of August keep
the mares on herd, bringing them home
of evenings, where there are convenien
yards to handle them during the breed
ing season. The percentage Of colts Sc
cured, from large bands, is from 20 tt
IS. When the breeding season is owe
the band is again turned upon the rang
and receive little or no attention unit
the following spring, when three men il
three days will gather the herd ant
bring them home. About March LIST
bring in the young colts to be halter
broken and l give them little oats an
all the hay they can eat. In 81
weeks they will be gentle. When tw
and three years old they readily remem
Der this first lesson.
any horses have the very best of fet
l and legs and great breathing and lun
power have horses have been worl
ing in harness and under the saddle fe
10 years. They are now perfectly SCUM
and without blemish and have hard
ever been stabbed. The we'll bred MOI
l tana horse is the boldest and most fea
q less ever saw. History says the horse
raised on the steepest mountains OF Medi
. and the Persian horse, raised under lik
circumstances, are the best cavalry horst
:. ever produced. l believe that the MOI
u tana horse, bred in this high altitud
Il raised on the hills and mountain side
y breathing the pure mountain air, feedin
u on the rich grasses of our hills and moul
. tain slopes and drinking the purest
i spring or brook water, will in time
. their equal if not superior. There is 4
J. element lacking to produce here tt
: highest and best type of the horse, an
already the Montana horse is becomin
: famous for his power and endurance.
- "Of late years many imported dra
- horses have been brought to Montana fl
> breeding purposes and they could not
brought to better country to impre,
~ the breed. You hardly see one of the
ponderous animals that are sound. The
feet and legs are especially weak. No
believe that in few generations, wi
in judicious breeding in Montana, these d
II fects will be entirely overcome. II
a. day will come when we can produce
" better Clyde horse than they can in SCI
II land, a better English draft than they c.
Il in England, and better French hor
n than they can in France. We may n
Or produce as large horse, but it will be
10 better one. The ideal Montana hor
,p weighing 1000 pounds will do more wo
az and draw a heavier load than the 2,0t
or pound horse of Scotland and England.
he believe the time will come when the
n countries will be importing horses fri
Of Montana for breeding purposes. WI
we need now is more good practi
Id breeders with good stock to begin with
10. ALREADY some Of our thoroughbl
its colts have broken records and gained q
of tinguished honors on the eastern turf a
re our young trotters are coming to the fir
he fast. the day will come when the W
nv bred Montana horse will be cage
sought for.'
Ao$~