Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-11-10
Breeding Matched Horses.

WEBB DONNELI, IN AN. AGRICULTURIST
There are few men, even among those
actively engaged in the horse breeding
industry, who fully realize the long and
expensive searches that are made by
horse dealers and by the agents of
wealthy men to secure WeIl-matched
pairs Of horses for carriage driving. 1t
is not essential in a great number of
these cases that the horses be fast trot-
tiers, but it is of the first Importance
that the pair match well, and after this
that they move with a stylish, high
stepping and high spirited gait Such
horses, matched. are worth very much
more than double their price when sold
alone, owing to the difficulty that is
experienced in attempting to cater to
this desire on the part of wealthy peo-
pie to indulge their fancy in an attrac-
tive pair of carriage horses.
The following of the well recognized
principles of breeding will go far to-
ward securing well matched pairs If
one could secure breeding mares, of an
established standard of form and color,
such as has been secured in the breed
ing of the Hackney Coach, French
Coach and the Cleveland Bay, and could
make use also of stations that had
been thus bred, he could count quite
confidently on producing what was de-
sired. But the average breeder has no
such facilities at hand. He must use
no o0ro rao1i1yr oh
tain, but even under such circumstances
there is an intelligent way to proceed.
A well-shaped mare may be bred for
two years in succession to a sire whose
proficiency has been shown to be so
strong that his offsprings, as a rule,
strongly resemble him in form and
color; or, what would be still better,
two mares of as great similarity as
possible may be bred the same year to
such a sire, and the chances will strong
ly favor the securing of a Well-mated
pair. If one is breeding horses as part
of his farm operations it is not difficult
to secure mares that bare a close re-
Semblance to each other, while, if Il
person is limited to the use of only one
mare, he may, as suggested, breed for
two years in succession to the same
sire, or may arrange with a neighbor,
having a mare somewhat similar to his
own, to breed both the same season to
such a sire with a view to the in
creased profit to both if a Wel-matched
pair be thus obtained.
A French Coach, or a Cleveland Bay
sire possessing fine style and spirit, is
preferable, for there is a strength of
breeding in the case of such sires that
makes the handing down of their own
characteristics to their offspring quite
certain, even when the dams are not
altogether similar to them in form and
color. These two breeds are specially
noted as possessing such form. spirit
and good action" as to make them
particularly desirable as carriage horses.
Good results in breeding for matched
pairs may come when Wellbuilt trOt-
ting bred stations are used, but the
past breeding of such animals usually
makes the chance of uniformity of form
and color in the offspring decidedly re-
mote. Attempting to secure such uni
fOrmity can certainly result in no loss,
if the attempt be made as suggested,
while it may result in a quick sale and
q largely increased profit.