THE AMERICAN HORSE. 1 29 



dates the advent of what is known as the American 

 horse. No heavier blow to the reputation of Ameri- 

 can horse-breeders could have fallen than this, for 

 it is impossible to create a type from a mongrel of any 

 animal, except a mongrel." 



Then it is conceded, after long experiment, that no 

 valuable type can be created, except through the infu- 

 sion of pure blood? 



"Yes, madam, we may say that we have an Ameri- 

 can horse with certain characteristics of much money 

 value to his owner; but does it reproduce with cer- 

 tainty any quality that is in demand by any other 

 nation? Alas! it is only too well proved that the 

 American trotting horse, bred experimentally, in so 

 many cases, does not reproduce two per cent, of trot- 

 ting speed. From Maine to the Pacific coast the 

 country is flooded with horses which have no type, 

 are uncertainly bred, and unintelligently trained, 

 which are not in demand for export, and at which all 

 foreign nations may shrug disdainful shoulders." 



But, Count, are you not very hard on us? Think 

 of our magnificent trotters who beat the world I 

 Sunol and Arion, and Axtell, and Allerton ! 



" Yes, they have earned a world-wide fame, prov- 

 ing the exception to the rule. But have they not 

 come by accident, as it were, and without any 

 surety beforehand, of their being anything phenom- 

 enal? Within the last few years only have the 

 breeders here, with the exception of a very few 

 scientific men, begun to realize their own ignorance 

 and foolish mistakes in getting away from the blood 

 cause. There is a little secret about breeding to 

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