Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-10
Maine Bred Horses.

DtSl SNcilt tiItAlt az a.
conservative estimate, fully $3,000,OOO
were spent last year by Maine people
in the purchase of horses from outside
TIE State. The larger part of these
horses came from the middle West.
Most of them were draft horses, al
though. at the present time, it is prob
ably true that a majority Of our good
ca-ryall horses, and large number of
our best read horses are Western bred.
dition Of affairs is far from creditable
to our State, which is amply able to
raise its own horses and raise them at
good plcit. The greatest mistake
ever mad. b. morse breeders in Maine
grew out of the we'll nigh universal de
sire that prevailed among them for
some years to raise trOtters. 1t
took them some years 70 discover
that the breeding Of trptting horses
is Z. good deal like outside spec
ulatinn in Wall street. Occasionally
someone Gets prize. 4 narrow
chested, spindle legged race Of horses
gradually supcrce led the Knox and
other hardy breeds that had previously
made the State famous for its road
horses. 1t seemed as if three-fourths
ried away with the idea of raising a
trCtter. The result in the very great
ma iority of cases was failure and dis
appointment. From breeding the
wrong kind Of horses. many of our
farmers went to the other extreme and
made the mistake oil breeding none at
all. Today when heavy pair Of
draft horses is worth from $500 to
800, and a good road horse from 5000 to
$500, there are very few to be found
in Maine. and We are forced to buy
them in the middle West, paying for
them millions Of dollars that might
just as we'll be kept at home to add to
tie prosperity Of our own citizens.
Fortunately there are indications of
the coming Of a brighter day in the
breeding Of horses in Maine. Our
farmers have learned the bitter lesson
of experience. They now recognize the
tact that profits III horse breeding in
this State will be secured in the pro-
ductipn Of first-class draft horses
and road horses and not in the futile
attempt to breed trotters under con-
ditions distinctly .unfavoratle to their
development. The interest in the
movement for the raising Of high
grade draft and road horses in this
State is by no means confined to
breeders. Many prominent citizens not
directly interested have given their
support to the movement recognizing
its Importance to their respective COM
munitIes and to the State. Through
the cooperation Of such citizens two
beautiful imported stations have re-
Gently been brought to Augusta, one 4
thoroushblc ed French Percheron weigh
ing 1900 pCunds-,I beautiful and per-
Gectly modelled draft horse; the other
a government bred French coach horse,
of rare beauty and promise. Much in
tcr"st Will bc felt in the results Of this
experiment. There can be no doubt,
however. but what the bringing in of
these horses will result in a speedy and
marked improvement in the character
and value Of the horses raised hereafter
IN this community. 1t is gratifying to
XII wv that what IS being done here il
being done also in other parts of the
State. and there seems to be no rea-
son why Maine should not, IN fnw
as Il horse breeding State.