THE BREEDS OF HORSES. 217 



the Arab and of the Barb was the foundation 

 for the more modern thoroughbred. The Ori- 

 ental horse represented the very highest type 

 of speed and endurance; and from this source 

 the thoroughbred derived all its original excel- 

 lence. To keep up these good qualities, and to 

 improve the English race horse, these good old 

 gentlemen argued that we must constantly 

 draw from the fountain-head the source of all 

 improvement. But, by and by, the time came 

 when all horsemen were compelled to admit 

 that a further infusion of this material which 

 constituted a most excellent foundation was 

 no longer needed, because the thoroughbred 

 horse of the British Isles had become im- 

 mensely superior to his Oriental ancestor. Eng- 

 lish breeding, training and selecting has done 

 the work, and the man who now introduces a 

 cross of the Arab or Barb in his thoroughbred 

 stud is very justly considered blind to his own 

 interest. 



And so with breeding trotters. Granted that 

 the endurance and vim and energy that make 

 the great trotter come from the thoroughbred; 

 and granted, even, that the form for speed at 

 the trotting gait comes from the same source; 

 we have selected, and trained, and bred with 

 an especial view to adaptation to this special 

 purpose, until we have a fixed characteristic- 

 an inheritance of speed at the trotting gait, 



