THE HORSE 



CHAPTER I 



PRINCIPAL BREEDS AND VARIETIES OF HORSES IN THE 

 UNITED STATES. 



The horse was not known on any part of the American Conti- 

 nent, until introduced by Europeans. 



The principal breeds and varieties which now prevail in the 

 United States, are the common horse, descended from the horses 

 originally introduced by the English colonists, and mixed, more 

 or less, Mdth varieties of later introduction : the thorough-bred 

 or Race-horse ; the Arabian ; the Canadian ; the Norman ; the 

 Morgan ; the Cleveland Bay ; the Dray ; and the American 

 Trotting-horse. 



The mongrel kno\\Ti as the " common horse," is too various 

 in blood, and too multiform in his characteristics, to admit of any 

 particular description. 



THE RACE-HORSE. 



Mr. Youatt says : " There is much dispute with regard to the 

 origin of the thorough-bred horse. By some he is traced through 

 both sire and dam to Eastern parentage ; others believe him to 

 be the native horse, improved and perfected by judicious crossing 

 with the Barb, the Turk, or the Arabian. The Stud Book, 

 which is an authority acknowledged by every Enghsh breeder, 

 traces all the old racers to some Eastern origin ; or it traces 

 them until the pedigree is lost in the uncertainty of an early pe- 

 riod of breeding. If the pedigree of a racer of the present day 

 be required, it is traced back to a certain extent, and ends with 

 a well-known racer ; or, if an earlier derivation be required, that 

 ends with an Eastern horse, or in obscurity. 



It must on the whole, be allowed, that the present Enjrlish 



