186 VOLUNTEER. 



thigh, 24 inches, and 41 from hip to hock, which gives him more of 

 the open gait and higher hock action than the residue of the family. 

 The other variation Avas the large mare, dam by Everett, 2d dam by 

 Harry Clay, This mare has a riieasurement of 41.^, 25, 17, and 26 

 inches across the loins from hip to hip. Her Harry Clay or extra Bell- 

 founder cross gives her the long limb and the wide gait and far- 

 reaching stride. These two will probably trot with hind feet wider 

 apart than any of the Volunteers I have inspected, and the reason of 

 the departure is apparent, although the difference is more in the size 

 of the animals than in their relative proportions; hence, the differ- 

 ence in gait as a whole will be very slight. The Volunteer character- 

 istics will predominate. 



Since inspecting the above, I have seen Bodine — 15.24^ hands high. 

 He is 41 — 24^ in rear measurement, and 11^ and 214- in front. The 

 majority of those I have inspected are horses under 15.3. One mare 

 that is sixteen hands, measured 40 and 24, precisely as Volunteer 

 does, and I think that such would be the usual proportions. This one 

 was 11 and 21^ on her forelegs. I have not found a Volunteer of 

 any size that was 12 inches in the front cannon, although I find many 

 horses 12 inches there that are not over 15.2 in height. 



I may say that the Volunteer family do not display what is called 

 wide, open action behind, and yet they do not trot close. There is 

 not a sprawler among them, nor is there any reason to complain of 

 interference. Their action is not so close as to be objectionable, but 

 true and even, and quite uniform. 



The Volunteers are not an early family. This will probably account 

 for what we sometimes hear of the difficulty of breaking them, and 

 the wi'iter above referred to speaks of a great friend of Volunteer, who 

 has broken and handled many colts, and who said he would rather 

 break four of the get of any other son of Hambletonian than one 

 Volunteer. There is probably something in this, and probably more 

 in knowing jvist how they should be handled. That many have been 

 spoiled by not thoroughly understanding their high temper, and by 

 the effort to make them trot fast before they were ready, is probably 

 only too true. Some things are certain about them. They do not get 

 ready to trot fast as early as some other families of Hambletonians, 

 and thev will not allow the impatient drivers and breakers to urge 

 . them by the use of the whip, as is sometimes done, and as can be 

 done with others. 



The man who would bring out a Volunteer colt with success 



