EDITOR'S PREFACE. 



ri^IHE composition of this work was first suggested 

 -L by ;Mr. Robert Bonner, who fully appreciated 

 the original views and vast experience of Hiram 

 Woodruff in all matters pertaining to the art of 

 training and driving the trotting-horse. At the 

 earnest solicitation of Mr. George Wilkes (the editor 

 of " The Spirit of the Times "), and of some other of his 

 friends, Hiram agreed to undertake it. They believed, 

 and their arguments induced him to believe, that such 

 a work from him would be a public benefit to the 

 owners of horses, and a service to the horse himself. 

 From the nature of the avocations to which he had 

 devoted himself with unparalleled success for forty 

 years, Hiram Woodruff was not a ready penman ; and 

 therefore it was not until the writer of this introduc- 

 tory preface had promised to act as his amanuensis, 

 and to edit the work, that he consented to go on with 

 it. Its reception, when some chapters had been pub- 

 lished, was such as to establish its value; and all those 

 who had been long acquainted with the author clearly 



