A SADDLER OF THE PLAINS 37 



In like manner, the pacer, which was probably of 

 Narragansett (Rhode Island) origin, and which seemed 

 likely at one time to develop into a breed, has been 

 lost as a distinct variety. Although there has never 

 been an active demand for animals inheriting the 

 pacing gait, yet there was a distinct place for them; 

 and it is to be regretted that breeders did not continue 

 along the lines which gave unmistakable evidence of 

 the highest success. Instead of developing breeds 

 of horses in America, we have, at great expense, been 

 drawing upon Europe for breeding stock, which was not 

 always potent enough to effect any improvement upon 

 our home-bred animals. 



In the Indian pony of the North, and the Indian 

 mustang (Fig. 3) of the Southwest, and the bronco of 

 the West, the foundation stock was ready at hand for 

 the formation of a breed of light saddle-horses, unex- 

 celled by any other saddle breed for traveling long 

 distances on scanty food. Instead of utilizing this 

 valuable material, we have imported numbers of short- 

 legged, pudgy ponies from Europe. It is objected that 

 the wonderful little horse of the plains has not a good 

 disposition. The same may be said of any other variety 

 of high -mettled horses when subjected to ill treatment. 

 On the plains he was merely trained; had he been fully 

 domesticated and treated as kindly as the trotter has 

 been, and as intelligently bred, there is no doubt 

 that this class of horses, which will soon be extinct, 

 would have developed into a most valuable breed. From 

 this warm-blooded horse, though many generations 

 removed from his Spanish ancestry, a pure saddle breed 



