RECOLLECTIONS OF MEN AND HORSES 



spondence with Mr. Moerder, the Secretary of the 

 General Directory of the Imperial Studs of Russia, 

 relative to obtaining Orloff entries. Mr. Moerder 

 was in sympathy with the offer, but the breeders of 

 his country were not ready for the test. The stipu- 

 lation was that two horses from Russia should enter 

 and start. Capt. Theo. Ismailoff came twice to this 

 country with the pick of Orloff studs, the last time in 

 1893, but failed to make a favorable impression. 

 Leland Stanford and W. E. D. Stokes also labored 

 without effect to make the Orloff popular in America. 

 The Russian trotter was not able to make our best 

 trotters extend themselves. It was Count Alexis 

 Orloff-Tchestmensky who created the Orloff breed. 

 He bred a large-boned Danish mare to the pure 

 Arabian stallion, Smetanka, and produced Polkan 

 ist, a horse of larger frame than his sire. A mus- 

 cular Dutch mare was bred to Polkan ist, and the 

 product was Barss ist, a horse with stout muscles 

 and fine trotting action. English and Arabian blood 

 were now introduced, and in this way Dobry, Lu- 

 benzy, and Lebed were produced, from which three 

 the best Orloffs are descended. The first time that 

 Captain Ismailoff came to this country, I really felt 

 sorry for him. His horses showed so poorly on the 

 tracks as to excite ridicule. Mr. Howland was wise 

 in recommending his Orloff stallion only to those 

 desirous of raising carriage and farm horses. 



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