THE STALLION. 71 



hardly been treated with the consideration he deserves ; 

 but he has been as well cared for as any other part of the 

 stock. We found him in a southern clime, where he had 

 figured as a good second-rate performer on the turf, run- 

 ning long distances better than short, and from his size, 

 able to carry his appropriate weight in a satisfactory 

 manner. He possesses most of the attributes we were 

 looking for, and only fails in minor points that were not 

 considered essential. In selecting the mares, I was very 

 particular they should be such as were likely to " nick " 

 well with his form. The blood, as we said before, in some 

 of them, being rather closely allied, one or two being half- 

 cousins and all very similar in their remote crosses. He 

 was eight years old when bought, and though very kind 

 under saddle, he had never been harnessed. When he 

 was brought here, and after having been walked a few 

 weeks, part of the harness was put on while in the stable, 

 adding it by degrees till breeching, traces and collar were 

 all familiar to him. The reins were put on, and he was 

 accustomed to a check, tightened by degrees till he could 

 not get his head below a certain position, not high enough 

 to be a constraint that would annoy him. He was driven 

 every day for a week with the harness dangling about, 

 and for which he never exhibited any signs of fear. He 

 was then placed in the shafts, and went as quietly as if 

 that had been the place to which he was always accus- 

 tomed. I took the precaution to have a kicking-strap 

 put on, though the security was needless so far as he was 

 concerned. Every day the roads were not too muddy he 

 was driven for an hour or two, and whenever a smooth 

 part of the road was found, he was trotted as fast as he 

 could go. Under this system, the fine trotting step he 

 exhibited has increased so much that I am confident he 

 can trot a mile close to three minutes, and expect before 

 the close of the next season to see him go still faster in 



