HORSES. 371 



H O R S E S . 



ESSEX. 



From the Report of the Committee. 



Colts. — There were a great number of colts of various colors, 

 shapes and sizes, presented for the inspection of the committee, 

 those with forms adapted to the peculiar duties for which the 

 horse is intended, some for the plough and others for the road ; 

 and it is a matter of great difficulty for any committee, to make 

 a satisfactory or even a correct report, and one upon which they 

 should most assuredly receive more definite instructions. For 

 instance, they are authorized to offer a premium for the best 

 four-year old colt, another for the best three-year old, and still 

 another for the best yearling ; now upon what basis must the 

 decision be made, when there are evidently almost as many dif- 

 ferent duties which these colts would be called upon to perform, 

 as there were subjects for inspection ? There were those which 

 would only be fitted for the natural and ordinary work of the 

 farm, others whose shapes destined them to be the roadsters, 

 while still another class would perform the duties of the " horse 

 of all work." Now is it not proper that each one of these should 

 receive attention ? They are all useful, each in his own sphere. 

 The committee would ask that there should be a classification 

 made with colts as has been done with horses ; that is, there 

 should be two premiums off"ered for the two best colts, say of 

 four and of three years old, whose peculiar characteristics 

 showed them to be destined cither for the road horse or for the 

 plough. They are both useful, each in his own way, and as 

 such, wliichever will be most profitable to raise, will receive the 

 attention of the breeder. It may be argued that at so early an 

 age, it is almost impossible to decide the many and the different 

 services for which these young animals would be trained. This 

 may, in a measure be ti-ue, but at the age mentioned, the young 

 horse ought to have some instructions as to his after life, and 

 the committee regret that so few of the many colts presented 

 were broken to harness — not that they would argue too early 

 breaking — but at the age of three or four years the colt, by a 



