Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1908-03-03
What the Morgan Horse Has Done.


The breeding aud raising of horses is
one of the most interesting and profit
able branches of agricultural art if
properly carried out. The revival Of
interest in this important industry is
very gratifying. From 1850 to 1860 Ver-
mont raised and sold more horses than
any other state in the union. Many a
Morgan horse helped to pay off the
mortgages and educate the boys and
girls of our state. The demand for
horses was never better than to-day,
prices are high and are likely to con-
tinue so. Horse power will not soon be
displaced through automatic means.
There are now many auto vehicles in
use, but "the horse is still on the job. :"
A natural taste for the business is
essential for success. A man must be a
fair Judge of blood lines and how to
combine them for best results. No man
can afford to spend his time raising
mongrels. Do not mate small mares
with large draft stations. II cross is
necessary mate draft mare to a stallion
of fair size, descendant of some one of
the trotting families. If draft horses
are desired have sire and dam of that
blood.
The horse that can be made to fill the
greatest variety of places is the most
profitable one for the Vermont farmer to
raise, and we have sufficient amount of
the foundation stock. This stock
springs from the blood of that stout
little bay stallion, Justin Morgan, that
could "out-walk, out-trot, out-run and
out-pulr' every other horse entered
against him. | think we should restore
the old Morgan type. OF course, speed
is no objection, but we cannot afford to
breed for that alone. The trotting
horse is an expensive luxury, as few
have sufficient speed to win money and
leave profit.
always be for the good there is in him.
He should be masculine in every fibre,
with the distinguishing beauty and
strength, fire and courage of the male.
The selection of the mare is no less i'm
portant Ii is she that is to nourish the
colt both before and after birth. The
mare should not be coarse at any point.
Her beauty should be feminine; she
should carry more muscle and flesh than
the stallion. She should be more round
ed in outline, finer in head and limb
than the stallion. Her strength should
be that of fieetness, her fire that OF
docile playfulness, her courage that of
ambition to perform. Always breed
from the mature animal. No well de-
veloped colt will come from undevelop-
ed parents. Degeneration will always
result from the breeding of immature or
broken down animals. The best stock
is always the cheapest.
The Morgan horse has done much for
Vermont; yes, and for Maine, all New
England, the West and the Pacific
slope. These is no part of this land
where the good horse is appreciated,
where the Influence of the blood of JUS
tin Morgan is not seen and felt. The
state of Maine became famous through
it's Winthrop Morrills, its Knoxes and
it's Brown Harrys, and the dominating
blood in those great families originated
in Justin Morgan.
The government is now recognizing
the value of Morgan blood and is estab-
fishing breed to perpetuate an interest
in his breeding. While there may be an
improvement in any line, there has
never yet been and never will be a
counterfeit of greater value than the
original coin.-B. Walker McKeen in
New England Homestead.