Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-04-02
WHITE HOUSE HORSES.
THE PRESIDENTS WHO KNOW A
GOOD ANIMAL.
Jsckson's Observation-Disclosures Rulers OF
Later Days Also Have Had Love
for tho Heat of Thorough.
bred Horse Flesh.

fine horses in the stables of the presi-
dent of the United States during the
century than horsemen generally think.
President Washington was an excellent
Judge Of a horse, as he had a right to
be, inasmuch OF the belt of country in
which he was born and grew to man.
hood began very early in the life OF the
colony to import the very best sons and
daughters of the Godolphin and barley
Arabian, the two horses to which the
greatest racers in this country and in
Europe trace their origin.
So it is natural that Washington,
having been brought up under such
auspices, should have been extremely
particular in regard to the horses which
he used in his coach. His famous gray
war charger was dapple gray, fifteen
hands high, any of the finest form, SYM
metry and finish. Good judges of the
horse now admit that he was the best
Arabian ever imported to this country.
As evidence Of Washington's re-
markable knowledge of the qualities
that contributed the making of a good
horse it is related that at the siege of
Boston his attention was attracted to
the superiority of the steeds that COM
posed the cavalry from the valley of
the Connecticut. Calling Light
Horse Harry Lee into his counsel,
Captain Lindsey was promptly sent by
them to the Connecticut valley to pur-
chase horse, and he was subsequently
70 int
known as the Lindsey Arabian. The
horse General Putnam rode when he
gallOped down the steep declivity of
100 steps and escaped from the British
was q full brother of Washington's
charger.
President Jefferson, with more re-
publican simplicity than the first presi-
dent used for his coach the strong but
ordinary Virginia horses that were
bred at that period in the mountain
region of Albemarle. They were not
exactly plugs, as cold-blooded horses
are sometimes called, but were fat,
sleek and cumbersome in their gait
and safe for the ladies of the family,
for Mr.. Jefferson being a Virginia
gentleman, scorned the effe1ninate
practice of riding in coach in his
journeys to and from Richmond. Phil
adeiphia, and later to Washington.
His famous saddle-horse. Archy, was
son of the famous Sir Archy, and
when Mr.. Jefferson rode through the
mud ON Pennsylvania avenue en- route to
the capitol to attend his Inauguration
az, I,
steed over the fence palings as he dis
mounted, it was the son of his favorite
sire that bore him.
The Adan1ses, father and son, cared
little for horses of any kind. The
Puritans and their descendants were
not fond Of racing. Rather, they de-
spised it az worldly failing, and.
therefore, gave the monopoly of it TO
the descendants of the cavaliers. On
the other hand, that popular son of
New England Franklin Pierce, not
only loved atgUod horse, but he bred
several good ones. His menage while
president was stocked with some of
the best descendants of the Justin
Morgan and Bishops Hambletonian
that could be procured in New Eng
land.
President Andrew jackson had
profound contempt for horse that
was not thoroughbred. Poor as he
was when he babe his old Irish mother
goOd-by at the cabin door in the
swamps of North Carolina, and swing
ing himself into the saddle turned the
nj f<,vv-
seek his fortune, he rode from the
maternal homestead well-bred horse,
and throughout his life would mount
none other.
President Zachary Taylor was, next
to Washington and Jackson, the best
Judge OF a horse that ever held the
| office. General Taylor rode only en-
tire thoroughbreds in the army. His
favorite saddle horses in the Mexican
war and during, his brief incumbency
of the White House was white
thoroughbred stallion named "Old
| Whitley" an animal of great beauty,
which was bred IN Kentucky.
When President Lincoln became a
resident of the white house there was
purchased for him in central New York
a pair of very stylish black carriage
horses, the reputed price being o., 900.
Mr.. Lincoln did not possess the pro-
verbal Southern love for good horses,
and was an Indifferent Judge of them.
The black team were of the tough
Morgan breed and lasted him as long
as he lived. He seldom rode on horse
back during the term of his admins.
tration, although he was used to the
saddle. He was an awkward-lookins
equestrian ON account OF his long limbs
and bowed posture.
| President Grant brought to the white
house several fast trotting horses. His
favorite saddle beast was half-bref
Spanish horse, called jeff Davis,
which had been captured from thu
plantation Of Joe Davis during tn,
campaign in Mississippi. His carriag,
team were lofty bays of thorough bret