X THE HORSE IN AMERICA 



settle his estate. Considering our lack of Govern- 

 mental assistance we have done amazingly well 

 to become the greatest horse-producing country 

 in the world. Our greatness, however, is mainly 

 due to the vastness of our area, the fertility of our 

 soil and consequent cheapness of pasturage, and 

 to the high average intelligence of the American 

 people. We have not exercised the scientific intel- 

 ligence in breeding that some European people 

 have done. So as breeders we have not a great 

 deal to be proud of. We have done better as to 

 quantity than quality. But we can do better, and 

 I am sure that we will, for the time is hard upon 

 us when the four-year-old horse that is not worth 

 $300 in the market will not be worth his keep. 



There is, however, an important public aspect 

 to this question of improving and maintaining the 

 breed of horses. Without good horses for cavalry 

 the efficiency of an army is very much crippled. 

 When our Civil War broke out horse-back riding 

 in the North had as an exercise for pleasure been 

 generally given up, and nine-tenths of the men 

 who went into the service on the Union side could 

 not ride. On the other hand, at least seven-tenths 



