il4 APPENDIX. 



seemed to be held at check, but this was more apparent than real, 

 because although no one horse during those periods beat the best 

 pre-existing time, there were always more who approached it than 

 there ever had been before. The powerful influences which have 

 tended to the development of increased speed have been regular, 

 not intermittent in their operation, and I believe that at this time 

 their work is being done upon a much wider scale, if it is not 

 more potent in character, than it ever was heretofore. In my 

 opinion, the form of the trotting horse has been much improved, 

 and is still being improved. In ray view of the matter, the best 

 trotters are now not only nearer akin to the thorough-bred horse 

 in blood than they were before, but they also resemble him more 

 closely in shape. The causes of this will continue to operate. 

 The question now is, not would the shape of the thoroughbred 

 horse do for the trotting action, but how near can we get to the 

 blood and shape of the thorough-bred without greatly impairing 

 the trotting tendency in the produce. In my humble opinion, 

 and I speak with diffidence, it is not a question of physical shape 

 at all. A bad-shaped horse will be bad in action, and slow, 

 whether he runs or trots. A good-shaped one will have the proper 

 natural action, and the capability of being made fast, if his in- 

 ternal organs are sound and good, whether he runs or trots. I 

 have looked over as many thoroughbred horses, and as many 

 tro,tters, as from the nature of my avocation I could conveniently 

 do for the last twelve years, and I have failed to discover by the 

 naked eye any substantial difference in form between the best 

 thorough-bred running horses and the best trotters. That there 

 is a difference, is true enough, but it is one of degree, not of kind ; 

 and in my experience the very best trotters have been those whose 

 outward form and characteristics approached most closely to those 

 of the thoroughbred. Thus I name Flora Temple, Princess, 

 Dexter, Lady Thorn and Goldsmith Maid. I think nobody would 

 now prefer the shape of the French Canadian family to that of 

 my one of the above-mentioned illustrious trotting horses ; and 



