THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. C33 



are never harnessed, ^and the stallions are treated the same way. 

 This has been the custom since the origin of the breed, and they 

 are almost as vicious and ynreliable as th'e Mustangs of Texas, 

 without their soundness ; for the continued practice of racing them 

 at an immature age has engendered in them more than an average 

 share of diseases; and they all lack that intelligence and gentleness 

 that is the natural result of long-continued and intimate compan- 

 ionship with man. The difference between them and trotters in 

 intelligence, docility, and affection is much the same as between 

 fox hounds and setters, and for similar reasons. In the one case 

 the hound and the horse run by a natural instinct a few times 

 each year for man's amusement, and during all the remainder of the 

 year they are under no discipline, receive no education, and are 

 off with their own kind away from the companionship of man. 

 With harness horses and setter dogs the case is in all respects dif- 

 ferent. Both horse and dog are man's constant companion. They 

 obey him, learn of him, and love him. 



To breed good harness horses for road or track, we should use 

 both stallion and mare of the kind we want in the offspring. 

 When setters can be improved by breeding to fox hounds, we may 

 consider the propriety of breeding trotting mares to thorough-bred 

 stallions. 



A few practical rules for the instruction of breeders who may 

 not be familiar with the subject are here appended. 



RULES. 



The best time to have a colt foaled — the development of the colt 

 only being considered — is in the spring, after the cold nights are 

 done. The mare gives more milk on grass, and the colt thrives best 

 in the fields. But if it is necessary to use the mare on the road 

 while brooding a colt, it may be better to have it come in the fall, 

 but never in very cold weather. The mare and colt are stabled in 

 the winter, and it can be better left in the stable than the field. It 

 should be kept in a separate stall when the mare may want to lie 

 down, or she will probably be compelled to stand all night. A 

 mare can be worked on a farm at any time while brooding her colt 

 without much inconvenience by allowing it to accompany her. 



The average duration of pregnancy is about eleven months ; but 

 the time varies from less than ten to more than twelve months. 

 The variation from the average time is not often more than a week 

 either way, and horse colts are not carried longer than fillies, 

 though the popular opinion is that they are. 



A mare may be worked moderately up to the hour of foaling, 

 and again when the colt is a few days old. She may be driven at 



