DOUBLE HARNESS RIVALRY 



I like a nervous horse, a sensitive as well as sensible 

 one, that would rather go ten or twelve miles an 

 hour, yet without pulling, he is willing to go eight 

 miles the hour; never stumbles or hits himself, per- 

 fectly sound in every way, so that, when you take 

 a long or fast drive with a pair, you have not got 

 to watch any leg or part when they are done up to 

 see if they are all right. You know such ones are 

 hard to find. You know I have had a great many, 

 and these perfect ones are like perfect people. They 

 must trot in 2.10 to-day, and be good and smooth- 

 gaited, and never inclined to break. There never 

 was so much required for a gentleman's road horse 

 as now. Matinees and speedways have brought 

 this condition about. It always takes me a good 

 year to work with a horse that has had good track 

 education before he suits me at all, and most always 

 he improves about as much the second year. Very 

 few horses are of any account, unless they have had 

 at least two years' training by a good man at the 

 track. When we think of * Pa Hamlin ' with over 

 500 of the best horses in the world of all ages, not 

 being able since 1892 to have two come to the scratch 

 and beat his own record of 2. 1 2^, can you wonder that 

 I have little confidence in my ability to get two horses 

 ready and both in perfect condition to try such a 

 trick?" 



In November, 1904, Mr. Shepard said in a letter 

 to me : 



" When I was sixty years old I sold out all my 

 trotting stock, feeling that I was too old to try and 

 keep at the head of the fast ones here in Boston. I 

 remained out but a year or two, as the old love of the 



