The Forrest City times., 1891-03-27
WHITE HOUSE HORSES.
THE PRESIDENTS WHO KNOW 4
 GOOD ANIMAL.
Jsc1mon's Thoreughbreds-The Rulers of Later Days Also Have Had . Love for the Hest of ThoroLgh-
 bred Horse Flesh.

xner6 nave Deen on tho whole more fine horses in the stables of tho presi- dent of tho United States during tho century than horsemen generally think. President Washington was an excellent judge of horse, as he had right to be. inasmuch of the bel, of country in which he was born anI grow to man. hood began very carly in the life of the colony to import the very best sons and daughters of the Godolphin and Dar,ey Arabian, the two Horses to which the greatest racers iy. this country and in Europe trace the.r 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 tho making of good horse it is related that at the siege of Boston his attention was attracted 10 the superiority of the steeds that com posed the cavalry from tho valley of tho Connecticut Calling Light Horse" Harry Leo into his counsel, Captain Lindsey was promptly sent by them to the Connecticut valley to pur- chase horse. and he was subsequently taken to Virginia where he became known as the Lindsey Arabian. The horse General Putnam rode whom he galloped down the steep dcclivity of 100 steps and escaped from tho British was full brother of Washincton's charger.
 President Jefferson. with moro re- publican simplicity than tho first presi- dent used for his coach the strong but ordinary Virginia horses that were bred at that period in tho mosntain region of Albemarle. They wero not exactly plugs, as cold-blooded horses arc sometimes called. but were fat. sleek and cumbersome in their gait and safe for the ladies of the family, for Mir. Jefferson being Virginia gentleman, scorned tho efreminate practice of riding in coach in his journeys to and from Richmond, Phil- adelphia and later to Washington. His famous saddle-horsc, Archy, was a son of tho famous Sir Archy. and when Mir. Jefferson rode through the mud on Pennsylvania avenue on route to the capitol to attend his inauguration as president, and threw the reins of his 'steed over tho fence palings as he dis mounted. 1t was the son of his favorite sire that bore him.
 The AdaInses. father and son, cared little for horses of any kind. The Puntans and thoir descendants were not fond of racing. Rather. they de- spiscd 1t as a worldly failing, and. therefore. gave the monopoly of it to the descendants of tho cavaliers. On tho other hand, that popular son of Now England. Franklin Pierce. not only loved good horse, but he bred several good ones. His mauage while president was stocked with some of the best descendants of tho Justin Morgan and Bishops Hamblctonian that could be procured in New Eng land.
 President Andrew Jackson had profound contempt for horse that was not thoroughbred. Poor as ho was whom he badc his old Irish mother good-by at the cabin door in tho swamps of North Carolina. and swing ing himself into tho saddle. turned tho head of his horso toward Tennessee to sock his fortune. he rode from the maternal homestead well-bred horse, and throughout his lifc would mount none other.
 President Zachary Taylor was. next to Washington and Jackson. tho best judge of a horse that ever held tho office. General Taylor rode only en- tiro thoroughbreds in the army. His favorite saddle horses in the Mexican war and during his brief incumbency of tho White House was n white thoroughbred stallion named .4Old Whitey." 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 . pair of very stylish black carriage horses. the reputed price being &3. 900. Mir. Lincoln did not possess tho pro- verbal Southern love for good horses, and was an indifferent judge of them. Tho 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 adminis- tration. although he was used to the sAddle. He was an awkward-looking equestrian on account of his long limbs and bowed posture.
 President Grant brought to tho white house several fast trotting horses. His fAvorite saddle beast was . half-brcd Spanish horse, called .Jefi Davis" which had boon captured from the plantation of Joe Davis during the campaign in Mississippi. Hb carriage team werc lofty bays of thorough bred and trotting blood. A span of ponies were subsequently, allded to tho menage for the children. President Grant was . good reinsman and when on good piece of road was not aversc to testing tho speed of his horses and that of Al .~L .f..l |