ABOUT TROTTING HORSES. 175 



straight out. The trot is a natural gait of any horse, and is always used 

 when going at easy speed on a smooth surface; but the best trotting 

 action is the result of breeding and training. 



VII. Disuse of the Trotting Faculty. 

 That the English blood-horse has lost the trotting faculty to a great 

 extent, is not because it was never in the blood, but because it was never 

 allowed to be exercised in the training. And, as few horses could ever 

 gallop fast or far, without special training, so, no horse can trot to the 

 best advantage unless the gait has been developed by long practice; and 

 it is a peculiarity of this gait that the trotting horse, unlike the runner, 

 seldom arrives at his best, until he is over eight years old. The same rule 

 will apply to fast walking horses. They must be specially trained to walk 

 fast, and there is no better preparation for the trotting horse than this 

 preliminai-y training in walking. 



VIII. Highly Bred Driving and Saddle Horses. 



Within the last ten years, the Hackneys have come to find a prominent 

 place among American driving horses. These horses may also be trained 

 to jump either from a standstill or when extended. They have come to bo 

 considered as excellent ponies for polo playing, and, as now bred, their fine 

 turn of speed makes them availa]:»le for light driving. 



Testing Horses as Roadsters — So again trotting horses of good style, 

 but not fast enough for the track, make admirable roadsters and general 

 drivers. They are also available for light express wagon work and other 

 similar purposes where speediness is necessary. The farmer who likes to 

 breed this class of horses, that will make good sellers at fair prices, may get 

 them out of stylish roomy mares, from staunch sires of trotting blood. 

 This class of horses will also be found available for general farm use, but 

 if intended for the uses described, should not be used for the heavier uses 

 of the farm, but three abreast will do a deal of plowing without injury. 



The New Morgans. — The Morgans can not hold their own to-day as 

 against the English Hackney, the trotting horse or Kentucky saddle horse as 

 now bred. The palpable reason is that we want size with stamina now. 

 This we get with a number of fashionably bred horses — Hacknej^s, trotters, 

 saddlers, French Coach and even thoroughbreds, not quite stylish enough for 

 high priced carriage, coach, trap and other uses, all of which sell well as 

 roadsters, light express, general delivery teams, drivers and cavalry horses. 



Saddlers. — Another class that always sells well both for home use and 

 export. They also make wonderfully fine cavalry horses. There are two 

 classes of these — one, the saddler per se, and the combined saddle and 

 carriage horse; the latter is a good general-purpose horse for running to 



