Horses for' Veumont. 125 



the load is alternately drawn up or held back, makes a well 

 settled, tirni set of limbs, and hard, enduring muscles neces- 

 sary, or this strahi will soon render them unsound. His 

 leet mnst also be good, compact, hard, not flat and soft. 



This horse, that has such multifarious duties to perform^ 

 must be of medium size. If he is too large, the travel up 

 and down our hills, at any gait Yermonters will be satisfied 

 with, will soon shake him to pieces. He must be medium in 

 height as well as weight. Sixteen hand horses may be all 

 very fine to talk about, perhaps to sell to some parties, but 

 they cannot, as a class, endure the road at a lively pace* 

 with horses of a hand lower measure, especially in a hilly 

 country. I am perfectly aware that many will not agree 

 with me in this, and may, perhaps, be able to instance some 

 xamples of tall horses that have followed the road and 

 lasted well, but I have lived in various parts of our country, 

 and I think I run no risk in offering to find three horses, 

 under fifteen two, that are now sound, after years of hard 

 driving, to every one some one else will find over that 

 height, that, after performing an equal amount of service, 

 has come out sound. 



Another very important qualification of the Vermonter's 

 horse must he a good, kindly disposition. While he should 

 be a willing, quiet, peaceable worker, he must not be a lazy 

 dolt, or the requirements for a good road horse will not be 

 answered. Although quite as many farmers' sons as is 

 desirable are becoming professional trainers and breakers, 

 still it is, perhaps, quite as well that all cannot be ; and so 

 long as so many of our horses have to be broken and driven 

 by farmers and their sons, who are comparatively unused to 



