236 THE MORGAN HORSE 



the pattern of the draft horse, and entirely devoid of the grace and ex- 

 treme speed that belonged to the well-bred horses of Arabia or Barbary. 

 The characteristics of this original stock were continued after it came to Can- 

 ada ; and although its blood, being very prevalent, doubtless entered into 

 some of the fast pacers that were afterwards bred in the Province of Quebec, it 

 certainly was not the source from which these fast pacers sprung. Indeed, 

 it is probable that the best of these pacers were nearly or quite destitute of 

 this native blood, and it is doubtful whether, as far as it appears, it does not 

 appear to their injury. The origin of the fast pacer of the early part of this 

 century, in the Province of Quebec, is not found in the horses originally 

 imported into Canada from France. Where can it be found ? 



Since undertaking to solve this mystery by personal investigation into 

 the facts, it has been a source of constant regret with us that the attempt was 

 not made at least thirty years earlier. If this had been done, we think the 

 full history might have been obtained. It is not true that the French- 

 Canadian breeder was or is more thoughtless or indifferent, in the breeding 

 of horses, than the American breeder. We have been continually surprised 

 at the intelligent understanding of this subject shown by these French breeders. 

 True, their knowledge of pedigrees was limited, for there were no books to 

 assist them ; but many now old enough remember distinctly the stallions of 

 merit of seventy-five or eighty years ago, and the pains taken to breed to 

 them. 



We have not given up hope of further information on this subject. 

 This book published, we expect to have more time to continue researches, 

 and, the subject being now opened, we hope it will be taken up and prosecuted 

 with zeal by others, especially our friends in Canada, who are the best able 

 to do this. There are, undoubtedly, many men and women still living among 

 the French in Canada with knowledge of the subject ; there may be some 

 one who can explain the pacer's origin. If the horse that got the original 

 Copperbottom that went to Kentucky were known, we believe that the horse 

 from which the great family of Canadian pacers sprung would be known. 

 The Canadian newspapers must contain more or less of this information, and 

 some, perhaps, equally valuable with the account of the Dansereau family of 

 horses that we publish, taken from the " Spirit of the Times ", 1841, and 

 furnished to the "Times' " correspondent by Mr. Dansereau himself. 



There are but two sources, other than the original Canadian stock, from 

 which the Canadian pacer could have sprung the horses imported from 

 across the sea, or from the States. The English thoroughbred blood might 

 add to the speed of the pacer, but it certainly is not the source of pacing 

 families. There is no evidence of any other blood imported from beyond 

 the sea that was. There is evidence, as we shall show, that this pacing blood 

 came from the States. 



Let us now consider the situation of the Province of Quebec and its 

 relation to the States. It stand at one side of the States, bounded at the 

 north and west by a vast region, that, at the time we are considering, was 

 almost entirely, and still is largely, uninhabited ; and at the east by the ocean. 



