Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1897-09-24
borse Department.
THE MORGAN REGISTER.
SHALL THE PRESENT RULE BE KEPT IN
EORCE

FORCE.
The change in the standard of regis
tration made by the vote of the National
Morgan Horse Breeders, association at
Chicago, July 20, 1896, has occasioned
some discussion. The original Rule |
was this: "Any mertorious stallion or
mare that traces in direct male line to
the original Justin Morgan horse, and
has at least one sixty-fourth of his
blood" is eligible. The above vote
provided ''that on and after Jan. !,
1897, an animal must, in order to be en-
titled to registration in the Morgan
Register, trace by both sire and dam in
direct male line to Justin Morgan and
have at least one thlrty-second Of his
blood" This change was intended to
keep out AS far as practicable the blood
of animals unfit for road purposes, light
carriage use and the trotting track. such
as the Percheron, the Norman, the
Flemish. the Cleveland Bay and other
breeds adapted to draft and heavy
work, without speed. 1t is now gravely
questioned whether the rule as modi-
fled is not too exclusive. 1t is urged
that there ought to be no objection to
the registry of any meritorious animal.
eligible under the old rule, provided the
dam be of recognized speed or roadster
blood. This view is very well presented
by Mr.. c. Y. Larrabee, president of the
Fairhaven Land company, Fairhaven,
Washington, and one of the leading
breeders of Morgan horses in the country.
His letter is given below and further
discussion invited:
FAIRHAvEN. Wash, Aug. ,, 1897.
To Joseph Battell, Bread Loaf Inn, Rip
ton, VT:
DEAR SIR-Your favor of July Both at
hand and contents noted.
1t would seem to me that the rules for
registration for the Morgan Register
have placed, one might say, premium
on inbreedng and given the world to
understand that breeders of Morgan
horses consider that the best and only
way to produce the Morgan horse of the
right stamp. 1t is not fact that the
breeders of Vermont and New England,
the home of the Morgan horse, have in
bred to such an extent that the Morgans
as a family have deterlorated? lnbreeding
is all right to fix type, "but it is two
edged sword that cuts both ways, and
is it not apt to be carried too far: and
will there not more attention be paid to
having the Morgan cross through the
sire and dam than in merit: | am a
greet friend of the Morgan horse and
believe them the best horse ever raised
for road purposes and everything con-
sidered. The family are also developing
a great deal of speed and seem to be
happy nick with the other speed pro-
duciug families and certainly give them
a finish and gameness that is hard for
them to acquire otherwise. | write as a
friend of the Morgans and what sugges-
tons | make are for tie good of the
family. All of the Morgans that have
are registered except the fOalS of this
year, and perhaps no other breeder has
registered larger number wi you. |
have owned number of Morgan stall
lions and am still on the lookout for the
best one in the land and am trying to
breed better class of MOrgans than
have ever been raised, and have faith to
believe that can accomplish this in
Montana. for Montana, everything con
sidered. can certainly produce the best
horse that ever lived. Is not line breed
ing, as a rule, productive of better re-
suits in the hands of an ordinary breed
er than inbreeding, and should not the
breeders of the Morgan horse be en-
couraged to breed their Morgan stations
to first class trotting breed mares TO in
crease both the size and speed of the
Morgans? The superintendent at Brook
Nook writes me that "the best horse
colt by Lambert Boy of the year is out
of Moqui, by Com. Belmont, No. 1910
2nd dam. Miss Talbot. by Harrison
% I sl.l l,,,,. I,-I Ito,
Chief No. S32; 18th dam by Edwin For
rest, (Sims)" Here is pedigree that
cannot be eXcelled for size, beauty,
style, quality, and finish, and the first
three dams all combine these qualities
and the sres of the first three dams were
the greatest slres of coach hOrses-iinsf
and quality, as we'll as speed-that Ken
lucky has ever produced, and the Nor
gan stream is united again after two out
crosses of decided merit This colt is
not eligible TO registration, yet il is
doubtful whether there are not hundreds
already registered. and will be placed al
the head of studs, that do not possess
One.quarter of his merit. Last year,
bred the mare Patience , :27a. by Alley
one. ~, No. 1872; lst dam, Constance
2:214. by Aurora, No. 1881; 2nd dam
Lady sherman by Bellfounder No. 81
dam of Judge Davis, 2:lS4 p., etc, tC
Lambert Boy, and had the misfortune t
lose pair of twins, and have returned
her to him this year. ! have also breC
to him this season Ruby Silver, "a, by
Robert McGregor, 2:l74, No. Ga; Is
dam Jenny Baldwin, by Daniel Lambert
No, lO2, dam of Pacing Tie 2:l94, p.
dam of Copper King, sire of Ratatat
POI, p, 3 years, sire of Mildred Mayo
, %, p,, 3 years; 2nd dam, Jenny, by
The Bigelow Horse, dam of Col. Moul
ton, , :2s4, etc. 1t is doubtful whethe
there are two better mares-breeding
finish, quality, gait, speed and merit
anywhere than these two, and should
be fortunate enough to get a first elias
horse colt out of either or both of then
by Lambert Boy, should consider tina
l had one equal to the best anywhere
and yet neither of them or their &c
1youI0 no alipibla to rauistration ShouL