THE CARRIAGE BIT-AND-BRIDOOX. 129 



quite as remarkable to us as the sun-burned farm hand in 

 his cow-hide boots is in a fashionable city thoroughfare. 

 Surely, breeders who understand how to select the stock 

 would find it a profitable business to breed a dozen span 

 of carriage horses yearly that would bring from one 

 thousand to three thousand dollars a span when trained, 

 and cost no more to get and keep than so many ^Hunk- 

 heads ? " 



Before this book goes to press tbere will be sold at auction 

 some eigbt hundred New York stage horses from which 

 could be selected remarkably fine and desirable mares for 

 breeding purposes. These mares have stood the batter 

 (wear and tear) of stage Avork for years, and besides their 

 beautiful and symmetrical proportions, they have proved 

 their thorough soundness and cajDacity for endurance on 

 time and stones, in their having come out of the ordeal 

 of the most severe work that horses can be put to. There 

 they are ; they need no guarantee. The first and second 

 cross between such mares and a Norman, and secondly a 

 thoroughbred, well-selected racer, would be an animal 

 calculated to encourage the bit and harness-makers in 

 producing the most elaborate specimens of their respec- 

 tive arts, and the numerous bits that we now prize so 

 highly would each be suited in a style of carriage horse 

 that does not adorn the park equijiage of the present 

 time to any very great extent. 



The lolling beauty of the gay and opulent home, whose 

 owner needs equine judgment, perhaps, more than finan- 

 cial means to indulge his wife or daughter in the command 

 of a handsome equipage, is well deserving, as a right, to 

 such a favor. Her j^osition and surroundings in society 

 cannot be set off to a^^propriate advantage, her home em- 

 bellished and her person adorned to a suitable deoTce of per- 

 fection in conjunction with her social position, without the 

 opportunities that such an indulgence generally supplies. 

 The costly dress, gorgeous jewelry and elegant furniture 



