56o 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



AMERICAN HORSES. 



Cow-ponies and Range Horses — U.S. Draught Horses — U.S. Thorough-breds 

 and Half-breds — U.S. Carriage Horses — Trotters— Pacers — South American 

 Horses. 



When the Spaniards first went to America, they found no 

 horses there, and the natives they encountered did not 

 possess any knowledge whatsoever about these animals. 

 Consequently, the general opinion is that all American 

 horses are descended from imported horses. Some authori- 

 ties maintain that native horses existed in South America 

 at that time ; but, as pointed out by Mr. McConnell 

 (Agricultural Geology)^ the only evidence in support of this 

 assumption is, apparently, Sebastian Cabot's map (1527- 

 1547). Against this map theory, we have the important 

 fact, which was [pointed out to me by Mr. Cecil Gosling, 

 H.B.M. Consul for Paraguay, that " no original equivalent 

 for the word, horse, exists in the Guarani language, which 

 is spoken by the Guarani tribe in Brazil, Corrientes and, I 

 believe, in Bolivia. The Guarani are the chief race of 

 the South American continent. Their language is exceed- 

 ingly rich, and possesses names for every indigenous 

 flower, fruit, tree and animal in the country. The 

 Guarani name for horse is Cavaji'i, which is evidently 

 derived from the Spanish word, Cavallo." 



After horses were imported from Europe, they 

 increased in number so rapidly, owing to favourable 

 conditions of fife, that both North and South America 

 became filled with innumerable herds of wild horses. 



Colonel Cody (The Sandringham Magazine) tells us that 



