The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-02-07
HORSE WAS ALWAYS
MANS BEST FRIEND
Ii Has Borne Him Into War And Has
Helped Him With Love And
Civilization.

Civilization.
The horse, even more than the dog
has always been mans best friend
Its origin antedates that of the dog
by centuries. This sounds far fetched,
but one must remember that the dog
was evolved into the animal we now
know from such savage progenitors
as the wolf, while the horse has al
ways existed as such, though the earli-
est horse was tiny animal barely
more than foot In height.
The ancients knew the horse. In
Arabia, whence came those animals
of the fine blood strain known as the
Arabian; in Rome, in Greece, in an
cient Britain-all parts OF the world
knew the horse. It's earliest appear
ance as carrier of man was in early
legends which told of wonderful
beast with the body, legs and tail of
an animal, and the trunk, arms and
head of man.
THE horse was first used as cavalry
in almost prehistoric wars and the
mounted soldier was q terror to the
dismounted fighter. In the days Of
King Arthur and his knights, the horse
was the same noble steed we know to-
day and with his master went into
tournaments and in battles clad, like
his master, in coat of mail.
EARLY in the worlds history the
horse became noted as q tireless beast
Of burden and from his constant labor
lwas evolved those heavy breeds which
q featured In old English horse fairs
l,.the Percherons and Clydcsdale. Grad
ually, as mankind came to know the
horse as his best friend, more care was
given to breeding. ISires of the finest
bloods were imported and gradually
was evolved the buggy horse-that
true friend OF lovers and which could
be counted on to amble along at a
staidpace without guiding hands on
reins-and the roadster, the race horse
of most aristocratic blood and the
army artillery and cavalry animal.
So closely associated with civiliza-
ton has the horse become that even
to this day of automobiles and air
planes, rich and poor, the gentleman
and lady of leisure and the farmer and
his wife, often prefer sentimental jour
neying behind thoroughbred or farm
Dobbin to the speedy touring car or
runabout We may smile-we of the
younger generation-at the thought of
taking our best girl out for ride in
surrey or buggy, but our grandfathers
and grandmothers, yea, our fathers
and mothers, knew the joys of court
ing days when, on quiet Sunday, they
drove slowly over dusty roads between
the lines OF trees which bordered old
country lanes
The great war which has just ended
demonstrated more fully than anything
else the need of breeding horses hav-
ing that indef1nable quality known as
"heart" or Stamina quality
which makes horse go on and on to
the end of task. Thoroughbred
grades, that is to say, half and three
quarter bred, are the type sure TO
prove the most serviceable.
BY thoroughbred grade Is meant
the offspring Of a thoroughbred stall
lion and selected mare of one of the
colder breeds, or of prepossessing
Individual of no particular breed
This type became the accepted type
throughout Europe In consequence of
q cnrioe ~ facAs th az hauau In Auctrio
Hungary-then the Holy Roman EN-
pire-in 1888 and were continued for
years, costing the countries Of Europe
more than $200,000,O0 The real thor
oughbred type as we know it was not
adopted as the most desirable sire
until little more than half century
ago. Today he is the sire that i'm
parts to his offspring the stamina re-
Quired: the intelligence which so
greatly aids man: the power to endure
and the willingness to work.
The Maryland Breeding Bureau.
through this paper, will be glad to
answer all inquiries concerning horse
breeding and the care and manage
ment of stations and Of mares and
colts. Address all questions to the
editor of this paper who will forward
them. The answers will be printed In
an early number Of this paper