CAVALRY HORSES. 161 



ration, until tliorouglibred horses were almost as plenty as those of mixed or 

 mongrel descent. 



Almost every southerner learns to ride while a mere child, and is perfectly 

 at home in the saddle long before he arrives at manhood. Hence, when the 

 war began to demand serious action, the young men of the rebellious States 

 naturally formed themselves into cavalry organizations. Not unfrequently 

 each soldier furnished his own horse, and often this was a thoroughbred of con- 

 siderable fame, won in hard-fought contests over the Washington course, at 

 Charleston, the Metairie, at New Orleans, the Savannah, Augusta, Mobile, and 

 Natchez courses. 



This universal prevalence of horsemanship was due undoubtedly to a variety 

 of causes. The proverbial badness of southern roads is inimical to the use of 

 vehicles, save of heavy and ponderous construction ; many roads pass through 

 enclosed fields, with numerous gates, and the streams are deficient in bridges. 

 The mercurial character of the people, also, led to a fondness for the vivacious 

 excitement of the race, and its popularity with the fairer sex lent an additional 

 charm to the annual meetings where a Peytona, a Monarch, a Fanny King, a 

 Verifier, a Lexington, a Lecomtc, and hundreds of others made their appearance 

 for the contest. Compared with the running race, trotting was a rare occur- 

 rence, and the result was precisely what might have been expected. There 

 is nothing so much improves the breed of horses in any country as a liberal 

 encouragement of the running race, to which England owes the rare beauty 

 and value of her horses. 



Under all these circumstances it is not strange that the south should have 

 turned out bodies of excellent riders, mounted upon steeds of extraordinary 

 fleetness and endiarance. Exception has been taken to the expense of the 

 cavalry, but the enemy has unquestionably found it the most valuable of all, 

 in proportion to the money expended. 



Whatever objections may be made through prejudice or a false idea of mo- 

 rality against organized trials of speed between thorough-bred horses, they 

 have, beyond a doubt, been of the greatest benefit to the cavalry of eveiy 

 country that possesses an army. The scions of racing stock are infinitely su- 

 perior to the bastard hacks of the farm or the city railway stable ; and this is 

 so well known and appreciated that the simple name of a remote ancestor of 

 celebrity, duly authenticated, sufiices to render a colt desirable before he has 

 shown any qualities of intrinsic excellence. Queen Victoria, a lady of more 

 than ordinary refinement of taste and Christian principle, and gifted with the 

 practical virtue of common sense to an unusual degree, not only encourages 

 the purification of equine blood by the retention of a magnificent breeding and 

 racing stud — that of Hampton court — but by visiting in person the more inter- 

 esting races, and donating truly regal prizes for the contest. 



And this is, furthermore, the practice with many other European sovereigns. 

 None are too lofty or too dignified to take an active part in a matter so im- 

 portant as the elevation and improvement of their national breed of horses. It 

 seems strange, then, that our government should take so little interest, amount- 

 ing, in fact, to almost total apathy, in so vital a subject. 



Perhaps the American nature, especially in the north, has been a little too 

 preoccupied with immediate affairs, commercial business, and the like, to fully 

 appreciate the amusement .and the benefit to be obtained from the turf. 



Foreigners visiting this country often notice and comment upon our worried, 

 hurried, anxious expression ; and it has frequently been said that we are de- 

 ficient in holidays. New England, where business of all kinds is particularly 

 and universally active, has never since her States were colonies been able to 

 support a thorough-bred horse, with the exception, perhaps, of " Balrownie," 

 a fine horse imported in 1857 by Quincy A. Shaw, a public spirited gentleman 

 of Boston. 



