ALMONT. 281 



of his ancestors of either branch; Hainbletonian was another, and the 

 g-reatuess of Alexander's Abdallah renders very probable all the 

 aller)'ed Mambrino crosses in the unauthenticated pedigree of Katy 

 Darlino-. Besides these, Blackwood, Gov. Sprague — two of the fastest 

 stallions — and Mambrino Kate — the fastest of the get of Mambrino 

 Patchen — afford ready illustrations. And to those who dispute the 

 inherited trotting tendencies of the Messenger blood, I may here put 

 the question: In what other family do you 'find the above marked 

 peculiarity? The blood of Dioraed prevails in this country more 

 extensively, perhaps, than that of Messenger. It is very often re- 

 united after intervals of separation, but it nowhere ' displays such an 

 accumulative inclination toward the trotting- gait. Instances of the 

 same peculiarity are found in the Bellfounder blood; and this is 

 another proof that it is kindred to that of Messenger. The Mam- 

 brino Chief mare also afforded a nearly related channel in which the 

 blood of Hambletonian found a congeniality that would amount to 

 more than a mere affinity. It was a positive and very near con- 

 sanguinity. While in Almont the Mambrino Chief element is less 

 conspicuous than that of Hambletonian, it has served a very important 

 end in giving solidity and great positiveness and strength to the 

 make-up of the entire animal, and especially in those parts where the 

 Messenger blood tends to strong and positive development. 



Almont is a deep or solid bay horse, standing 15 hands 2|- inches on 

 his withers, and one inch higher on the rump, and weighs, in ordinary 

 condition, 1,175 lbs. His points are black, and the color extends to 

 and includes the knees and hocks; he has the Mambrino Chief badge 

 of a grey right hind leg from the foot to the hock, although not yet 

 very plain, but increasing with age. His mane is medium, and his 

 tail rather light. In his measurement and in his proportions he is 

 almost exactly like Thorndale — his head is in length, 26 ; his neck the 

 same, 35; his hindquarter is 38^ from hip to hock and 24^ in length 

 of thigh — slightly longer; and in his foreleg his relative proportion 

 is just enough different to make their gaits and that of all the Almonts 

 clearly different — 11 and 31; and let it be borne in mind that in this 

 particular the variation of one-half inch makes a vast difference in the 

 gait of a horse. This one-half inch would make Smuggler a steady 

 trotter, and the truest and fastest stallion in tlie world; but of him 

 when we get there. It will be noticed that Almont is almost precisely 

 the same in his foreleg measurement as Volunteer, and the old-time 

 objection that I heard against the Almonts before I ever saw one of 



