INTRODUCTION. Vll 



luation or opinions on the subject. Horses, in this resjiect, are no 

 better or more sacred than inen; and reputation should be measured 

 by their deeds and character. The reputation of an animal is largely 

 dependent upon its owner. Many horses of great merit are not so 

 known to the public, because their o^^^^ers do not employ all the arts 

 and appliances that pertain to the business to bring them famously 

 into notice. When I have found such an animal, I have not hesitated 

 to disclose to my readers some glimmer of his concealed light. On 

 the other hand, it is equally true that by dint of artful advertising, 

 and the employment of cunning devices — the ways of which are 

 without number, and past finding out to those whose interests lead 

 them to be dvij^ed — many animals have for a time secured a fame and 

 prominence which gathered money into the pockets of their shrewd 

 and unscrupulous managers, but whose real merits were so meagre as 

 to give no reward to the enterprise, or return for the money of their 

 misled patrons. Where I have encountered any such as these, my 

 pen has not failed to prick the bubble that swelled with their great 

 nothingness. I deal with facts as I obtain them, and in opinions as 

 I hold them. 



It is not believed that we have yet bred a stallion so near perfection 

 that we may not discuss his merits, and refer to his favilts if he have 

 them. Some exception can perhaps be taken to the best stallion we 

 have seen. Administrator, Cuyler, Florida, Volvuiteer, Almont, 

 Thorndale, Daniel Lambert, Blackwood and Governor Sprague, and 

 the many others described herein, are all good horses, and great stal- 

 lions, but to each some just exception may be properly taken, yet 

 their merits are so great, that their respective owners need feel in no 

 way sensitive because they can not be pronounced absolutely perfect. 

 It will be seen that while T have found and pointed out defects when 

 they existed, my work has been mainly devoted to portraying excel- 

 lences and the better traits. This results from the fact that I write of 

 the best and most distinguished horses of oui- day, rather than those 

 which only exhibit infirmities. 



Inasmuch as it has been my aim to make each subject as complete 

 in itself as possible without reference to its being a part of an entire 

 treatise, there will be found very frequent repetitions of similar matter 

 both in facts and in application of principles advanced, and in each 

 of two instances I have repeated a page or more in verbis. Such 

 repetitions may occupy much space, but the recurrence to the matter 

 thus brought out in new relations will not be without its value. Some 



