CHAPTER XXXIII 

 THE ROADSTER OR LIGHT-HARNESS HORSE 



The roadster or light-harness horse is distinctly an American type, 

 or strictly speaking, it is a breed — the American Trotter or Standard- 

 bred. The light-harness horse is a pleasure horse exclusively; his 

 domain includes the regular race tracks, where he is used for profes- 

 sional racing, and also the city speedways and snowpaths and country 

 roadways, where amateur racing and road driving are indulged in by 

 men who admire the trotting horse and seek recreation in the open air. 

 Roadsters or "gentlemen's drivers" also form classes at our horse 

 shows. 



This type is styled "light-harness type" because, on both road and 

 track, the horse works in light-weight harness that is quite in contrast 

 to the heavy leather worn by the heavy-harness horse. The harness 

 is light because the vehicles to which this horse is put are very light in 

 weight. In professional racing the bike sulky is used, which weighs 

 from 27 to 35 pounds; in matinee racing the vehicle used is a light 

 speed wagon having four wheels but of the same general construction 

 as the sulky, and weighing only 65 to 68 pounds. On the road the 

 hitch is to a light wagon weighing about 175 pounds, which may have 

 a top much like the common piano-box buggy. For snow racing a 

 specially constructed speed sleigh is used, weighing a little less than 

 100 pounds. 



The value of the light-harness horse is based upon (1) speed, (2) 

 stamina or endurance, (3) durability, (4) temperament, and (5) beauty 

 of conformation. 



1. Speed. — Whether in use on or off the track, the light-harness 

 horse is prized very largely for his speed. For racing purposes he is 

 required to show 2 :30 speed at the trot, or 2 :25 at the pace, before he 

 is considered a light-harness horse in the true sense of the word, and 

 for road use he should be able to do at least ten miles within an hour. 

 The ability to "get there" is the thing for which this horse is bred and 

 trained. The world's trotting record is now 1:56^ (which means 1 

 minute and 56 ^^ seconds for the mile) and is held by Peter Manning, 

 a gelding. The world's pacing record is 1:553^, held by the stallion 

 Dan Patch. The fastest trotting and pacing records and the years 

 when they were established are as follows:^ 



iThe Horse Review, Dec. 13, 1922, p. 1214. 

 453 



