FARMERS' INSTITUTES. 143 



tries which have gained a high reputation for the quality of their horses, 

 such as Arabia, the Barbarv States and Persia, in Asia and Africa, 

 France and Belgium in Europe, and the British Isles, have the great 

 essentials of proper soil and pasture for their production, and we find 

 their size generally proportioned to the abundance with which proper 

 food and water is attainable by the animals while growing to maturity. 



In our own country we will find that the states which have been 

 most noted for their horses also possess these characteristics. Take 

 Vermont, for instance, with its green hills, approaching to mountains, 

 the soil hard and stony, the water largely from springs, and we recognize 

 the natural conditions which gave us the Morgan horse — the Arab of 

 the new world — with their small size, hardy, vigorous, proud and 

 spirited, with feet of iron and bone of ivory. Then look at Orange 

 county. New York, where under splendid natural conditions the blood 

 of imported Messenger mingled with the hard-bottomed mares of that 

 part of the state, gave us the foundation for the American trotter, the 

 greatest light harness horse in the world. In Kentucky and Tennessee 

 natural conditions were good enough to place those states first in the 

 production of the thoroughbred, the basis of improvement of all horses 

 for racing, riding or driving purposes. Of course there are many other 

 states which have sections peculiarly adapted to the raising of high- 

 class horses, but these natural conditions have been more generally 

 used in the states named than in any others. Coming to our own 

 State, we find large areas peculiarly adapted to the business of raising 

 horses. The counties of Washtenaw, Oakland, Jackson, Livingston, 

 Hillsdale, Branch, Ingham, Barry and Ionia, as well as parts of Van 

 Buren and St. Joseph, offer excellent opportunities for the breeding of 

 horses; and this belief is encouragjed and proven by the records that 

 horses from the counties mentioned have made in the sales ring, on the 

 track and in actual use in all places where the medium and light har- 

 ness horse can be used. They outclass horses of the same blood and 

 breeding from Illinois and Indiana, or an^^ state where level land and 

 soft black soil furnish conditions for corn and hogs. The hard roads 

 and hills of Vermont gave the Morgan his tough feet, clean limbs, ex- 

 panded ribs and deep chest which marked the breed, and the same con- 

 ditions in other states will always produce the same results. There- 

 fore, when we see a farm with fields covered with short, sweet blue 

 grass, with clear spring water, and the land rolling and with plenty 

 of limestone in its composition, we know that we have the first essential 

 for breeding high-class horses. 



Next to the soil must come the man. Without him there can be no 

 utilizing of the advantages which nature has furnished. The charac- 

 teristics of the man will surely be reproduced in the horses he breeds. 

 Kindness and good temper in the horse may be the result of heredity, 

 as is viciousness and stubbornness, but each can be added to or modi- 

 fied V)y the man in whose care he has passed his early days. The 

 greatest breeders, the most successful in every way, are those who 

 associate most closely with their horses, secure their confidence, and 

 thus start them in life with the belief that every man is their friend. 

 This always increases the intelligence of the horse, and good temper and 

 intelligence, rendering them susceptible to high training, are qualities 

 that do, and should, command a high price in the market. The vicious 

 liorse is never wanted, is always a source of trouble and cost, and 



