THE HORSE HISTORY. 513 



horses, especially that most valuable one known as the trotter." 

 Three minutes was about the lowest time yet made in England 

 or America. Trots had been for four to ten miles. Now 

 efforts began to be made for the greatest speed for one mile. 

 For several years two and three mile heats were trotted at 

 about two minutes, forty seconds to the mile; then two 

 minutes, thirty seconds ; a few could make it in two minutes, 

 twenty-four seconds, and two or three lowered the time to 

 two minutes, twenty seconds. 



Among the celebrities we find grand-colts of Messenger, 

 Betsy Baker, Topgallant, Whalebone, Shakespeare, Paul Pry, 

 Trouble, and Sir Peter. 



Messenger Family. A history of Messenger and his 

 descendants would be a fair history of the eminent trotting- 

 horses of the world. 



In 1780 Messenger was foaled, and in 1788 he was im- 

 ported to New York. He had been successful in several races, 

 and had won the King's plate at five years old. Because of 

 his promise and high breeding he was brought to New York to 

 improve the thorough-breds of America at a time when run- 

 ning was more common than trotting. He stood two seasons 

 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and was then purchased by Mr. 

 Henry Astor, and kept at Long Island for two years. He was 

 afterwards kept at several places in the State of New York, 

 and one year in New Jersey, at Cooper's Point. He died Jan- 

 uary 28th, 1808. 



Messenger was a gray, fifteen hands, three inches high, and 

 stoutly built. His shoulders were upright, and he was low on 

 the withers, with a short, straight neck, and large bony head. 

 His loins and hind-quarters were powerfully muscular, his wind- 

 pipe and nostrils of unusual size, his hocks and knees very 

 large, and below them limbs of medium size, but flat and clean, 

 and whether at rest or in motion his position and carriage 

 always perfect and striking. It is told of him that the voyage 

 was rough, and three other horses imported with him became so 

 reduced that they had to be assisted down the gang-plank at 

 New York ; but Messenger, with a loud neigh, rushed down it, 



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