Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-04-13

work on "rhe Morgan Horse says,
"much has been written, but we think
little is actually known" George Sher-
man says his father brought the mare
from Cranston, II. l., to Lyndon, VT,
that she was chestnut, of good size,
high spirited and an elegant animal, and
was called of Spanish breed. Another
historian says that MIR. sherman took an
imported English saddle mare, mahog-
any brown in color, 159 hands high, OF
delicate make, from Providence, X. l.,
to Vermont, and this was the dam of
Sherman.
5. G. Gibbs of Litteton, n. H., who
purchased the horse of james Sherman,
states that the dam of Sherman was
brought from the South and was bought
by John Sherman of Providence tor her
speed and beauty. After he returned
with her she slipped her hip and he gave
her to his brother James of Lyndon.
1t is of little consequence which of
these accounts is correct, as none of them
undertake to give her pedigree. Whoev-
err may have had the mare, and whether of
Spanish or English descent, it is certain
she was a fine animal. She was chestnut
with three white feet. aud white stripe on
the face. Her head was good, ears small,
neck light and rather long, not very com
pactly formed, and never carried much
flesh. She carried her head high, was
spirited traveller and an excellent saddle
beast. She was very pleasant tempered
and worked kindly in all places.
In his excellent work, MIR. Linsley
gives the following interesting descrip-
ton of Sherman, who did so much Tor
the utility horse of New Hampshire and
Vermont seventy years ago:
"Sherman was bright chestnut, about
thirteen and three-quarters hands high,
aud weighed nine hundi ed and twenty-five
pounds. His off hind-leg was. white from
the foot half way to the hook, and he had
a small white stripe in the face his head
was lean and we'll shaped, ears small and
fine, eyes inclined to he small, but full,
prominent and lively; his legs had some
long hairs upon the back side, but were
broad, fiat and sinewy. He had capital
chest, with the breast-bone very prOmi-
nent; the shoulders were large and well
placed, the neck excellent, the name and
tail full. but not remarkable heavy. His
hips were long and deep, the loins broad
and muscular, but he was little hollow
or "sway- backed"; still no suspicion of Il
weak back could attach to him, or he
would have broken down under the rough
treatment he received in early life. When
four years old Mr.. herman put him to
hard work, and though for about two
months in the spring of each year he
worked but little, yet the remainder of
the year his labor was very severe. Mr.
Sherman was hard working man, ard
animals under his charge had few oppor-
tunities to rest. Most of the year the horse
was kept constantly at work on the farm.
much of which he helped to clear up
I'm the winter, Mr.. Sherman usually ran
team steadily from Lyndon, VT, to
Portland, Me. For several years this
team consisted of this horse and a half
brother, sired by the Justin Morgan, a
year older and little larger than Shcr-
man.
"Mr. Sherman was not a man to be out
done at drawing or driving, and he was
always ready to match his team against
onv no NOR al bar tO draw Or RIM for a
trihing, wager. HIS little team became
famous at every inn from Lyndon to Port
land, and after time the teamsters that
knew them were afraid to match horses
of any size against them. In the pring,
when the sleighing became poor, the men
who had been companions through the
winter in the severe labor of teaming
across the country would often congre-
gate at the village taverns to spin yarns
of their simple but rough adventures, en-
gage in wrestling, running foot and horse
races, drawing matches, and many games
invented to test the speed or strength of
either men or horses. In addition to these
attractions, the prospect of a social glass
of old Santa Cruz may have had some
influence in drawing together the people
collected on these occasions, for it was at
that time considered pleasant beverage,
and it was not generally known to be a
subtle poison. Certain it is that these
games were well attended. and we're con-
Quoted with much spirit. Drawing match
es were at that time very common. At
Lyndon, the usual way of drawing was
to attach horse to a sled, fill it with
men, and draw the load up steep hill
Just north CT the tavern. 'When each his
utmost strength had shown Sherman
would add a small boy to the largest load
and commence the ascent, well satisfied
If he could gain two or three feet at a
pull, for nothing discouraged his horse,
and it was difficult to load him so that he
could not move little. These facts are
perfectly well known to many persons