PAUL PKY. -SO 



of trotting above eigliteen miles in the hour, Mr. Wm. McLeod's 

 Paul Pry. 



This horse lived to a good old age, and was last owned by 

 Mr. William Niblo. As he grew old, he became gaunt and 

 raw-boned, but, in his better days he presented to my eyes very 

 nearly the cut of an English, or, perhaps, I should say, rather 

 an Irish hunter — for he had something of a goose rump — of 

 the highest form. I have repeatedly ridden him, as he stood 

 for many months in my stable, and he was a fine steady galloper, 

 and could take a four-foot fence in his stroke and think nothing 

 of it. 



I have often wondered that, among the many importations of 

 stock by our spirited and enterprising breeders, who are doing 

 so much for tlie improvement of horses and cattle in America, 

 no one has thought of importing some fine, roomy, sixteen 

 hands, half or two-third parts bred mares, by highly reputed 

 sires. I am satisfied, that such mares, judiciously bred to the 

 strongest and most powerful of om- American or imported stal- 

 lions, such horses as Consternation is reported to be, or as Bos- 

 ton is, in all but the fatal defect of his blindness, would do 

 more to improve the stock of the United States in size and sub- 

 stance, without loss of speed or blood, than any other plan of 

 breeding can effect — since I am satisfied that all attempts at 

 giving strength, bone, and substance to the offspring of light, 

 under-sized, weedy, higlibred mares by stinting them to Mor- 

 gan, or Black Hawk, part-bred trotting stallions, or to im- 

 ported j^orman horses, are moves in the wrong direction, and 

 must lead not to the improvement, but to the deterioration of 

 the stock ; which will '])robaMy not gain much in size or power, 

 and will certainly lose in blood, and consequently in the ability 

 to stay a distance. 



In order to improve a race, it appears to be indisputable, 

 that the superior blood must be on the sire's side, the size, form 

 and beauty, on that of the dam. 



This is, however, a portion of my subject which will be 

 considered more at length in another part of this volume, under 

 the head of breeding, where all the considerations of that in- 

 teresting topic will be reviewed at some length. 



I shall now proceed, shortly, to the other more remarkable 



