896 SMUGGLER. 



front legs can trot as fast as the hind ones — and if they break, it is 

 a skip and glide along, half trotting, half skipping, and catching 

 when they like, with no loss of speed either way. This is not brain 

 nor instinct; it is leverage — the power of mechanism and the result of 

 anatomical conformation. His front conformation is against him, his 

 great trotting is in spite of it, and the result of his complete mastery, 

 as a trained and skilled gymnast, over the disadvantage under which 

 he labors. The effect of this detriment is greater at one time than at 

 another. When out of practice or condition it is very serious; 

 when on full work and up to the highest mark of condition, with the 

 aid of his big shoes, he is master against odds. 



In forming a correct estimate of the extraordinary organism and high 

 trotting quality of this horse, reference must be had to the perfection 

 of his action, the immense power he displays, and the wonderful speed 

 he attains in the face of disadvantages and natural obstacles to be over- 

 come, such as those above described; he is simply prodigious. The 

 success which attended him in his recent campaign was all that could 

 have been expected. Fullerton and all the horses of the American 

 Star and Everett families having a similar conformation, can be so 

 trained and brought to high condition as to be able, now and then, 

 to make an extraordinary race. Mountain Boy could show more 

 speed than Lady Thorn; but a long campaign of severe contests puts 

 the defective machinery to a test too severe for its endurance; it can 

 perform prodigies, but can not last forever. The strain of being 

 forced to carry shoes of such enormous weight can not be endured 

 for a lengthy campaign, extraordinary though the animal, as in this 

 case, may be. Those feet and legs can not be expected to endure 

 such usage. Hence, if he should be used up in his forelegs long 

 before any infirmity is discoverable elsewhere, it would be no more 

 than we should expect with entire confidence, and detracts nothing 

 from the otherwise great superiority of the animal under considera- 

 tion. 



The question of his value as a breeding stallion presents itself to 

 the mind of the careful and enterprising breeder. Is such an organ- 

 ism of value, and will it be so far successful as to be regarded as au 

 acquisition to the breeders of the trotting horse in this country? I 

 answer both of these in the affirmative. His. extraordinary qualities 

 will be in demand and will find place for their use and development, 

 and at the same time fields in which the shortcomings of his organ- 

 ism can be supplied. In the matter of crossing trotting families of 



