308 Gait of the American Trotter and Pacer 



If, therefore, the trotter is to be a useful horse his development should 

 be along broader lines, so that all breeders of the harness horse may 

 have a chance to obtain full justice for their efforts in the breeding of 

 heavier harness horses. 



While for the light trotter 2:30 is a comparatively slow record, 

 it becomes a much more difficult feat for the heavier trotter; and 

 simple justice to all breeders demands that weight and size be made 

 conditions of registration, so that not only the merits of the individual 

 could be more readily recognized, but also the speed contests would 

 present more uniformity of classes. It is to be hoped that such a plan 

 will meet with the approval of the breeders in general, because it seems 

 to put the breeding of the harness horse on a more systematic and 

 sensible basis. A threefold division, therefore, into light, medium 

 and heavy horses, such as (i), 8001000 Ibs., and up to 15}^ hands 

 tall; (2), IOOO-I2OO Ibs., and from 15^/2 to 16^2 hands tall, and (3), 

 1200-1400 Ibs. and over i6 l / 2 hands tall there being also provided 

 three respective standards of speed for these divisions, namely, 2:15, 

 2 :2O and 2 130, to make the individual horse eligible for registration 

 would not only make speed contests more interesting for the spectator, 

 but would also grade our harness horse into proper groups for judg- 

 ment and selection. As it is now, all discriminating foreigners com- 

 ment unfavorably on our greatly mixed lot of standard bred horses 

 of all sizes, looks and weights. They maintain that we have no 

 definite type of a harness horse, and when they buy our horses it 

 will be noticed that their selection is along lines of strength, size and 

 quality besides speed. 



Like the recent innovation of handicapping by distances at the 

 start according to record or trial speed, this reasonable classification 

 would also prove to be an advancement of the cause. It would induce 

 many breeders to remain loyal to the standard bred horse who are 

 apt to turn to other types for weight and size, and would enable many 

 progressive secretaries to vary their programs and thus enhance the 

 general interest in the speed trials. 



We do not want speed alone, for that the running horse has to a 

 far greater extent, and we know that the excitement of speed alone 



