LETTER FROM JOSEPH CAIRX SIMPSON. XI 



It may be considered equally useless to lay so much stress on 

 his handling colts, as nearly every "best record" has been made 

 by colts that he has trained, and driven to that record. The word 

 " nearly " can be cancelled as in the foregoing sentence, as 

 yearling, two-year-old and three-year-old are to his credit, as the last 

 year of colthood, four years old, is a dead heat for place, and that he 

 will "break the tie" in 1890 is just as certain as anything of that 

 nature can be foretold. Nothing so convincing as success. Argue 

 as we may, present evidence piled upon testimony to prove that 

 results should never have followed the practices which brought the 

 desired return. Success is mightier than theories, however plausible. 

 But granting that the proof of both educating ability and race-driv- 

 ing ability in Mr. Marvin, as shown by the records, is so strong that 

 a mere statement is all that is necessary, it will be in keeping to 

 consider the elements which entitle him to the rank I have conferred. 

 The case instanced, that of Smuggler, is a good beginning ; his sub- 

 sequent victories overshadow that, and, as there is constant pro- 

 gression on his part, it is manifest that he has been educating himself 

 as well as the renowned colts which have been his pupils. 



Although I have never questioned Mr. Marvin on this point, from 

 what is known it is a fair inference that the system formerly pursued 

 was similar to that in vogue, and which was practiced by the best 

 trainers of the period. 



At Palo Alto there were startling innovations, "established 

 methods " ruthlessly cast aside, and in place of pursuing systems, 

 endorsed by such a number of professors that only a shadow of a 

 minority questioned the practices, new ideas prevailed, Mr. Mar- 

 vin had sense enough to understand, and wisdom to follow advice 

 which had the backing of sound sense. It may seem singular to 

 those who are not intimately acquainted with the training of horses, 

 especially fast harness-horses, that there should be any hesitancy in 

 accepting advice from owners, or other qualified persons, but those 

 who have had the experience will agree with me, that very many 

 trainers appear to regard suggestions as an implication of ignorance, 

 and resent it in some way. I have frequently heard the Palo Alto 

 system of training commented upon by trainers, and by those which it 

 takes a good deal of courtesy to include in that list, and the latter 

 named class particularly prone to denounce the departures. 



As an illustration of the prevailing dislike to " obey orders," when 

 the management of horses is the theme, during Mr. Marvin's absence 



