CHAPTER YIII. 



FLORIDA. 



This horse was foaled in 1867; was bred by Nathaniel Roe, of 

 Florida, Orange county, N. Y., and was by Hanibletonian, first dam 

 by Volunteer. Beyond that, his pedigree has not been authenticated 

 to my satisfaction. The Trotting Register says, his second dam was 

 a brown mare, of unknown blood, brought from the West. I have 

 been struck with the very great number of " brown mares that come 

 from the West " which enter into Eastern pedigrees. I have seen the 

 certificate of Mr. Roe, the breeder, that Florida's second dam was by 

 the Welling Hambletonian; but all that I can say is, that while the 

 Trotting Register is not infallible — the compiler giving his pedi- 

 grees upon the best information he can obtain, and being as liable tO' 

 err as other men no less capable — the certificates of breeders are, in 

 many instances, no more reliable. Mr. Roe has since had some mis- 

 understanding with the present owner of Florida, and no information 

 can be obtained from him. The Welling horse was by Hambletonian,. 

 dam by Shark, and the composition of Florida goes very far to itidi- 

 cate strong currents of just such blood, which, in a highly concentrated 

 form, operate to stamp a very positive type on him and his produce. 



Florida is a solid bay horse — not light bay nor brown — with black 

 points, and no white Avhatever. He stands about 15 hands 3 inches,, 

 and weighs about 1,150 pounds; his head resembles, somewhat, that 

 of Volunteer — not fine, nor in any sense coarse; he has a neck of 

 medium length, and a windpipe 18 inches, which is 2 inches shorter 

 than that of Volunteer; he is 3 inches shorter in length of body than 

 Volunteer; has limbs almost the same length, the only difference 

 being one-half inch from hip to hock; he is 39^ inches there, and 

 24 inches in thigh; 11 inches in front cannon, and 21 inches ia 

 forearm. In the tiiangle of the hindquarters he differs but little fron> 

 Volunteer, lieing H 18, F 20, and G 27+. His croup stands high, and 



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