The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-30

chief of the animal huSbandry, depar
ment of agriculture. has just brough
out bulletin on the Regeneration c
the Morgan Horse
"Of the three types of light horse
which American breeders have de
veioped during a century and q quar-
ter. none stands higher in history
judged from the interest and affection
which have been devoted TO it, non,
has had a more direct and lasting in
fuence on other types, none, in fact
has been more uniform la type, more
prepotent in breeding, or more nearl,
fixed breed than the Morgan horse,
says DIR. Rommel
With an ancestry which must have
been OF the highest merit, reared or
the limestone and granite hills of New
England, imbued with remarkable en-
durance and stamina. by a rigorous
but invigorating climate, these little
horses se-eattyy-ffive years ago yielded
to none In popularity and held first
place In the actual money value placed
on individuals and on the service fees
Of sires. Fifty years ago Morgan stall
lions were received in the show rings
OF Kentucky with enthusiasm. Yet
during the last twenty years the name
of Morgan has been anathema among
the horse breeders of Kentucky, the
breed has been rarely seen in the
show ring at state and national fairs,
and the live stock press and many
horsemen of authority have declared
the Moragn TO. be an extinct race.
The cause of this remarkable de-
cline in breed of horses of outstand-
ing merit are not difficult TO discover.
UD To the time that the mania for
breeding extreme sDeed in harness
horses manifested itself, the qualities
of conformation. style ard endurance
which the Morgan possessed were
greatly appreciated. and it was recog-
nized that in the long run ttose quail
tiles we're worth more money than
speed records With the track records
OF Ethan Allen and Daniel Lambert
before them. however. Morgan breed
ers began to think that the Morgan
could be made race horse. and the
sDeed craze struck them The decline
of the Morgan horse may be dated
from this time.
aPercherons of fifty years or more
ago We're mainly anick--noving. light
draft horses. known in France as .diI-
tgence' horses. and were largely used
10 draw stage and mail coaches. In
deed tie earliest American writer on
the Percheron horse used them to
draw heavy carriages. DuHavs him
self advocated keeping pure the three
tyres of the original Percherou horse
the light draft type. The heavy draft
tyne. and the intermediate type Yet
What consideration would be shown
a light draft percheron. or even one
OF the intermediate tyne. in our mod
ern show ring? The Improvement of
the breed has carried IFS standard as
draft horse far hevond that of liz
rrogenitors. Yet who may danv fho
debt the breed owes TO the good aualf
ties Of those prosenitors2
Again tie forbears of our modern
Hereford cattle were huge animals
often gray-faced and speckIe-faced
with very heavy forehand and light
hindquarters. hut they were wonder
full grazers. The tyne was one which
would cause laughter if seen in
modern show ring. but who doubts
that tie remarkable vitalitr and good
grazing qualities of the modern Amer
lean Hereford are due to inheritance
from the now obsolete tyre from
which It descended2
II is SO IN breeding live stock OF
any kind Improvement must he made
or the breed dies ont. Breeders must
set for their ideals higher standards
than those of the past or even OF ire
present. or retroeression is inevitable
IiHslev held similar views ana conn
seled breeders TO improve their Nor
cans At tho time he wrote he says
that "it can hardly Re questioned that
q general Improvement has been
steadily going on n the character Of
our torses.'
improvements should be carried
out, however. in such . Kramer that
the good qualities nav be retaHed
End the undesirable ones eliminated.
To adoDt size In Morgaus az The one
great thing 10 be obtained would be
as ppVise as 10 adopt the exact tyne
OF Justice Morgs~ or To set M ev-
IRENE speed rs the sole standard
Tinsley referring IN this subject. rec.
ommends that the Morgan be brought
M 70 the standard Of size which he
set forth IA 70 15.2 hands weighing
from 500 TO 100 poundsN but not at
the sacrifice Of any of the valuable
qualities already present.
THE improved type of the Morgan
horse must be based on standard
market requirements for horses
known in our show rings by the
somewhat misleading term of heavy
harness horses This does not mean
draft horse. as manv think, but
NAV be roughly defined as a horse
which wears the heavy harness used
in drawing a zig. phaeton victoria
or similar vehicle, as distinguished