THE TROTTING-IIORSE OF AMERICA. 41 



to ours ; and, though I say it myself, who belong to the pro- 

 fession, it is not unfit to be said, that the American system 

 of breaking, training, and driving, has mainly made our 

 trotters what they are. The English had the stock all along, 

 just as much as we had ; and it is our method of cultivation 

 and perseverance that has made the difference between their 

 fast trotter of a mile in three minutes and ours of two 

 minutes and twenty-five seconds, or thereabouts. 



According to the best information at my command now, 

 I find that a three-minute trotter in England is about as 

 scarce an article as a two-thirty horse is here. This is the 

 result of our method of breeding, training, and driving the 

 trotting-horse in this country, aided by the enterprise and 

 ingenuity which provide vehicles, harness, and all the para- 

 phernalia of that combination of lightness with strength 

 which is upon the plan of the best trotting-horse himself. 

 It is, however, only fair to observe, that the English have 

 had some rules in their match-trotting which probably acted 

 as a hinderance to the making of the best time of which their 

 horses were capable. The penalty of a break was such that 

 the rider or driver would be afraid to push his horse up to 

 the top of his speed. If it was a harness or wagon race, the 

 driver was compelled to pull up, and back the wheels when 

 his horse broke. Ever so little backing of the wheels would 

 do ; but he was compelled to back them some. If it was 

 under saddle, the rider had to turn his horse round when 

 he broke. These rules must have been detrimental to tli3 

 making of fast time, though as fair for one as another of the 

 parties engaged in the match. Our American rule on this 

 subject favors speed ; and some think, indeed, that, as often 

 administered, it favors breaking and running, to the disad- 

 vantage of the steady, honest horse that keeps to his gait, 

 and wins, if he wins at all, by trotting. 



Our law on this point is good enough, however, provided 

 it is lawfully administered; and it does not operate as a 

 check to the drive? in obtaining the best speed of which his 



