THE TROTTING-IIORSE OF AMERICA. 125 



within a hundred and fifty yards of him, I have reason to 

 think that he could have trotted twenty miles within the 

 hour. But Paul Pry was better in a race against time than 

 in one with another horse ; for, when he had company, he 

 would pull desperately, and fight with his rider or driver. 



There are not many riders nowadays that a man would 

 like to rely upon to ride eighteen or twenty miles in an 

 hour, the horse to trot. At the time I speak of we had a 

 number that could ride trotters sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, 

 nineteen, and even twenty miles within the hour. We 

 had some that would have been backed to do much better 

 than that. George Spicer offered a bet that he would ride 

 one hundred miles on trotting-horses in five hours' time 

 and, Jack Harrison offered to back me to do the like. 

 Nearly all the trotting at that time was done under saddle. 

 Consequently, we had fine saddle-horses, and a great num- 

 ber of good hardy riders, who could maintain their clip 

 with the knees and thighs, and give their horses all the 

 support they needed with their hands. The number of men 

 among us that can now ride a fast trotter twenty miles an 

 hour is not large. It is to be regretted, I think, that the 

 saddle-work and use of trotters in that way fell so nearly 

 altogether into disuse. It is very fine to see a lot of good 

 trotters go away under saddle in the hands of competent 

 riders, and make a fast race. The young men and lads now 

 have but little chance to learn the art of riding the trotting- 

 horse strong and well, for they have next to no practice. 

 As those who were brought up in the old school got too 

 heavy for the business, there were no others coming up to 

 supply their place ; so that it would be difficult, at this day, 

 to get three or four competent riders of trotting-horses 

 together. It requires a combination of qualities. The 

 rider must have good judgment ; he must be very strong 

 and lasting, or else there will be danger of his giving out, 

 and, when he does so, the best horse in the world would be 

 likely to follow suit. 



