300 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 



purchased after this, but nearly all the females pro- 

 duced were kept and the stud soon grew to large 

 proportions. 



Mares Owned and Colts Raised. — An examination 

 of the old stud records kept by Ezra Stetson shows 

 that 14 Percheron mares were bred in 1883. Eight 

 of these foaled, but the Percheron Society records 

 show that he recorded only 5 colts of his own breed- 

 ing, so it is evident that some of the colts died or 

 were altered before time for registration. 



The number of colts raised gradually increased. 

 In 1885 5 were foaled to be recorded subsequently, 

 in 1886 6, in 1887 6, in 1888 10, in 1889 8, and in 

 1890 15. Altogether Stetson & Sons raised 33 stal- 

 lions and 30 mares of their own breeding between 

 1881 and 1890. 



Dr. Stetson bred and raised 4 Percherons prior to 

 1880, all out of Empress Eugenie. She raised 7 foals 

 altogether, most of which were very good. Three of 

 the mares were retained in the stud and proved valu- . 

 able producers. 



The Stetson Sires. — Richard Coeur de Lion was 

 the first sire used and one of the best. He was a 

 rather large, rugged gray, a bit upstanding, but 

 fairly well balanced. On the whole his colts were 

 larger than most of those begot by later sires used 

 by Dr. Stetson; the older breeders, still living, who 

 knew him, consider that he was probably the best 

 sire used in the first 20 years. He sired only 5 pure- 

 bred colts for Dr. Stetson but his get out of grade 

 mares in the country did much good. He stood in 



