Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1894-08-02
NEW BREED OF HORSES.
Are We to Have Distinct and Genuine
American COacher?

American Coacher?
The director of the experiment station
attached to one OF the state universities
is at present considering the propriety
of evolving type of coach horse dis
tinctly American and superior to the
kindred breeds of Europe, 1t is propos-
ed to select q few large trotting mares,
size, coaching formation and 'trappi-
ness OF action to be the desiderata and
stallion of similar build and gait, yet
possessed of a reasonable measure of
speed. When bought, these animals
will be turned over to the professor of
animal husbandry, and from them a
type of large, high acting coach horse
is to be evolved In the state which
supports the experiment station in ques-
ton large number of carriage horses
are annually produced, and the pressure
is being brought to bear upon the di-
rector by numerous small breeders who
have been using imported coachers and
from others who have pinned their faith
to the trotter, but claim to have failed
20 some extent through lack Of fixity of
type in the progeny of the stations to
which they bred their mares. That we
have in America today the materials
from which breed Of coach horses SUI
perlor to any now existent could be
evolved, and that many of the imported
coach stations have failed to prove
themselves desirable sires, cannot be
successfully controverted. Therefore the
abstract principle of the measure now
being considered is essentially correct
and desirable one. Granting this, it re-
mains to inquire shortly into the causes
for such demand on the part Of the
small breeders and farmers and as far
as possible outline procedure and re-
suits.
Between 1885 and 1890 the demand
for stations of the various coach breeds
was active, and thousands of German
coachers, French coachers, Cleveland
bays and hackneys-the last named
much in the minority->-were brought
to American shores. Size was insisted
upon by the purchasers, and in conse-
quence importers were compelled to Sc
lect stations rather coarse in their for
nation and generally inferior in their
action 1t seldom happens that very
large coaching stations exhibit either
the fineness or the high lifting action SO
essential to excellence of coach charac-
ter, those of medium weight being much
more generally desirable and much
more likely to reproduce their own image
with certainty. Bearing further on this
question are the facts that really good
individuals, either imported or bred in
America, are high in price, and the dull
ness of the times renders the investment
in such horse risky one The values,
however, of good coach pairs and single
brougham horses have been maintained
at surprisingly high level, notwith-
standing the demand is, of course, much
more slack than it was few years ago.
Mindful of this and finding that coach
horses are profitable to the producer as
well as the dealer, breeders are unwill-
ing to relinquish their enterprise and
sacrifice that which they have attained
in the way OF up grading.
Trotting bred stations having been
used largely for the production of coach
horses and having proved successful in
cases, though failing in the main to be-
get a uniform progeny, the breeders
turn to certain strains Of the
trotting breed, believing that in them
exists the foundation on which may be
built up type from which moderate
priced and successful sires might be
drawn. From practical as well as a
theoretical point of view, therefore, the
belief that type Of American coacher
should be fixed SO firmly as to produce
its own image with comparative GER
tainty and regularity, is one Of which
if properly followed up will result in
benefting the breeding interets. 1t may
be contended by some that there is no
necessity or such an experiment; that
there are now plenty of trotting bred
stations abundantly able to beget good
coach and carriage horses. Such stall
lions there are, it is true, but at the
same time they are scarce, few having
the necessary size and fewer the right
kind of action. There are enough, how
ever, to form new breed in a compar
atively short space of time. -Horseman