226 
everywhere in assembling more data 
covering a long period of time. 
This long distance test itself, perhaps 
some may contend, is not conclu- 
sive because the trotting horse was not 
represented and the thoroughbred rep- 
resented only by some grade animals. 
Then, let other tests be given and in- 
clude long backed horses. If they can 
stand conditions required for carrying 
weight long distances, we can change 
the conclusions after that fact has been 
established. 
The Diamond Ranch of Wyoming 
has for a generation been breeding the 
long distance thoroughbred horses and 
they are known very favorably in the 
army, but none of them have been in 
these long distance tests. Similarly 
the Mustang, or western pony, is 
known for his weight carrying ability 
and endurance. Can he make good in 
these tests, and to what extent has he 
the short back of his Arab ancestors 
who were brought to this country by 
the Spaniards? 
NATIONAL INTEREST IN HORSE CONTESTS 
Ever since the wild horse was do- 
mesticated, that is before man had a 
written history, the racing of horses 
was one of the sports of man. The 
trotting horse race was developed by 
the American people with its distinc- 
tive type of horse that has endeared 
himself to the heart of man and gone 
conquering all over the world. 
The Army Horse Association was 
organized for the purpose of making a 
national sport of the long distance 
horse test. The country has been 
divided into fifteen zones so as to have 
a “horse country’ with a 300 mile 
defined course in each zone. The New 
England horsemen have adopted zone 
No. 1 and have ridden it two successive 
years with marked results. 
The way to serve our country in 
time of peace is to make a national 
sport of the long distance weight 
carrying horse and to do it with a 
scientific spirit of finding out the best 
types without favor to any one type 
or man’s prejudice. Only in this way 
can we collect the necessary informa- 
The Journal of Heredity 
tion of what the type is and where and 
how to produce it. 
By making a sport of this kind of 
racing, the type will result just as the 
thoroughbred and the trotter are sepa- 
rate types to fill the needs of two kinds 
of racing. 
THE ARMY TEST OF 1920 
Since the preceding part of this 
article was written the endurance ride 
of 1920 has been concluded and the 
results seem to have more than justified 
what has here been said of the Arab 
horse. 
Five racing Thoroughbreds were 
carefully prepared at great expense for 
this ride. One was withdrawn the day 
before the race. Of the four entered, 
only one finished, and he was eighth, 
receiving no money reward and hada 
condition mark of only 25 out of a 
possible 50. Five grade Thoroughbreds 
were entered; two were army mounts, 
and they finished in first and third posi- 
tions getting 40 and 35 for condition. 
Of Arabs and their derivatives, ten 
started and five finished. Three were 
among the money winners, getting 
second, fourth and fifth places, and one 
was the only horse to have 50 on condi- 
tion—a perfect mark. Another tied 
with a Morgan at 45 on condition—the 
second highest mark. One purebred 
Arab made the best time for single days 
on the fourth and fifth days, namely 
60 miles in eight hours flat, and eight 
hours and a little over, not including a 
noon stop, beating all records for dis- 
tance and the weight carried. It was 
also an Arab that came in first on the 
last day. 
TESTS A FIELD OF SPORTSMANSHIP 
It was these facts which justified 
one of the judges in saying that the 
Arabs could have taken the first place, 
if they had not been held back by their 
sportsman owner who, apparently, 
wished to give other horses a chance, by 
which means long distance rides will 
be encouraged as a national sport. 
There were two Standard bred horses 
in the race and they were dropped on 
the second and third days. 
