St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-26
BREEDING TROTTERs.
Why Minnesota Is Particularly
Adapted to Raising TrOtting
Horses

Why Minnesota Is Particularly
Adapted to Raising Trotting
Horses.
In contributing short article Oh the
trOtting horse, have attempted to con-
fine my remarks to two questions IN
the main: First, as to the question
whether Minnesota is adapted by eli
matte and other natural conditions to
the profitable raising of trottiDg horses:
and secondly, yet briefly, as to some of
the salient and principal points to be
observe in prosecuting the enterprise.
The trOtting horse go nomine is pure
ly an American production; he is sui
generiS. Our pride is stirred and our
pulse quickened when the trOtter is as
sailed or the discussion of his merits
wakes warm. We take great pleasure
in seeing him perform, and no more
h1althful or inspiring recreation can
there be than directing his efforts while
he supremely and with almost human
intelligence tries to Guido his rival on
the boulevard. The high regard in
which he is held is better told by the
numbers that go forth TO greet him.
Think of 100000 people assemble on
a single day at the driving park at
the little city of Lexington, KY. to wit
ness his efforts. At the little inland
town of Independence, To-, nearly 10000
people pass the portals of its trotting
park on a single day to do hon.
age to the trotter. The whole pOpula-
ton of these cities is not equal to the
number of people in attendance at the
races, and yet at the same time nearly
200 other trOttine meetings are in prog
ress in America. All this tends to show
the demand and use for performing
trOtters seemingly sufficient to exhaust
the SuDply-but, in addition to this.
there exists that ever-increasing de-
mand for private stables and family use,
In breeding the trOtter simply, Of course
the first and greatest desideratum is
Speed-precOciOus and extreme speed,
too. is generally sought. There is, how
ever, middle or conservative ground
that can be more safely followed, par
ticularly by those of limited
means and limited experience
and knowledge, aud that is to
breed good ndlvidualS-gOOd size, gOOd
looks-fOr there is always fair demand
for these, wherein If you draw a blank
as trotter you still have a horse that
will pay for his raising to sell as an Or
binary driver or work horse. A horse
to be successful as trOtter must possess,
in addition to speed, good health, good
constitution, good wind, good legs and
feet, great strength. and should be
practically sound and well conditioned.
rs lEinn esota AdaptabIe2
Keeping these facts in view, let US
briefly examine the conditions which
exist in Minnesota for the purpose of
determining whether its natural adap-
tation to growing trOtting horses is IA
vOrable. A trOtting horse grows and
thriVes upon what he eats. drinks and
breathes. Plenty of food of good quail
ity, pure water and pure air are indiS-
penSable in securing the best results.
The Wanted blue grass of Kentucky,
TO an amateur, looks precisely like the
common June grass of Minnesota. which
grows in abundance. But if there be
a difference, am positively convinced
that no grass which grows On the
ground has any superiority over the
succulent timothy which is indigenous
IN this state, and that, too. whether it is
used for grazing or for curing into hay.
l have been surprised to observe tim
Othy Springlng up in a vigorous growth
away in the forests along roadways. or
sometime where fire had run or clear
| ings made, where, however, no seed
had been SOwn, showing clearly it TO be
native grass.
1t grows luXuriantly on cultivated
soil, and is the surest crop of them all
1t is Que. no doubt, chiefly to our clay
| limestone soil. This timothy forms the
basis of a large, healthy growth, with
good bone. A light or Soft-boned horse
is a rare exception among the animals
reared here. Then, too. our oats, the
natural grain food for horses, have no
superior 1t is rarely the case that
bushel of our oats does not weigh near