338 THE PERFECT HORSE. 



tonian, Lexington, are precious bloods to me. They 

 will re-enforce my stables with strains otherwise unat- 

 tainable. I would that Connecticut had twenty such 

 animals! They would add fifty per cent to my chances 

 of success. This, as I understand it, is not only honora- 

 ble in point of feeling, but wise in point of business. 

 The owners of celebrated stock-horses can only be ene- 

 mies while they are ignorant. The moment that one is 

 intelligent enough to perceive and appreciate the lack 

 of certain excellences in his family of colts, that mo- 

 ment he naturally resorts to the owner of some other 

 breed for assistance ; and so financial profit and friendly 

 companionship run into each other, and become one. 



I have been asked to write my impressions touching 

 the proper families which could be mutually benefited 

 by intercrossing. I know no reason why my views 

 should not be frankly stated ; and I propose to write 

 them out for the reader's inspection, letting them go for 

 what they are worth. 



Of the Hambletonian family — which, of course, is the 

 same with the Abdallahs, save in name — I have this to 

 say : Many of the old horse's get are no honor to him, 

 and unfit for stock-purposes. His best sons are those 

 out of Star mares, or thorough-breds of other families. 

 With such mares for dams, his get is remarkable, and 

 worthy of all patronage by the public. With his third 

 and fourth rate sons no breeder should have any thing 

 to do. As a family, they are open to the charge of 

 being too heavy and coarse-looking for beauty, with 



