492 AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK 



can ever be relied upon as a good foal-getter afterward. The 

 great strain in racing is upon the loins — the sacral vertebrcB — 

 which is the weakest part of the back, covering the genital 

 organs. These are impaired to some extent, perhaps, at 

 every race the horse is forced to run, and his colts show 

 plainly the effects of the seminal disturbances of the sire. 

 As a rule, the most objectionable of all the horses within 

 our knowledge as a breeder is the champion stallion of the 

 race-track. He may come of ever so fine blood, yet his 

 progeny will seldom be equal to himself, and, in nine cases 

 out of ten, will fall considerably below his standard. The 

 number of weak, flabby, loose-jointed colts gotten from such 

 sires will astonish any one who chooses to investigate the 

 matter for himself. 



The correction of these evils would be retarded, but need 

 by no means be prevented, by one difficulty, and that is the 

 assumption and parade of the turfmen themselves. The 

 whole subject pertaining to the relative value, etc., of differ- 

 ent breeds, has been given up into their hands to an extent 

 that is most unreasonable and hurtful. Unworthy and in- 

 competent hands they are, in truth, not at all meeting the 

 requirements of the case. Had not this class stood in the 

 way, other and better men would have come forward, with 

 different motives, and vastly more would have been accom- 

 plished in elevating the average standard of the American 

 horse than has yet been done. 



Much, however, has already been effected, and is still be- 

 ing accomplished, in a legitimate and honorable way, to en- 

 courage the breeding of fine horses, by liberal premiums 

 at the various fairs — institutions which deserve the counten- 

 ance of every intelligent agriculturist, and are almost invari- 

 ably well attended, as they should be. Racing is less repu- 

 table than it once was, and we are glad to note such changes 

 in the direction of public sentiment that one may reasonably 

 indulge the hope that racing, if not entirely abandoned, will 

 soon be left solely to the patronage of such classes as are 

 entitled to no regard at the hands of respectable society. 



