52 THE HORSE. 



and that liis qualities as a trotter cannot be ascribed or traced to 

 his origin from, or connection with, any one blood more than an- 

 other. It is true, and it is to be regretted, that of trotting horses 

 the pedigrees have been so little alluded to, and probably from the 

 nature of circumstances are so seldom attainable, that few, indeed, 

 can be directly traced to any distance in blood. Enough is known, 

 however, to show that some horses of first-rate powers have come 

 from the Canadian or Norman-French stock ; some from the ordi- 

 nary undistinguished country horse of the southernmost of the mid- 

 land states; some from the Vermont family; some from the Indian 

 pony; and lastly, some mainly, if not entirely, from the thorough- 

 bred. To no one of these families can any superiority be attributed 

 as producing trotters of great speed. All have shown their speci- 

 mens by means of which to claim their share in the production. 

 Only it may be affirmed, generally, that while some very famous 

 trotting horses have been nearly, if not entirely, thorough-bred, the 

 low, lazy, lounging, daisy-cutting gait and action of the full-blooded 

 horse of Oriental blood is not generally compatible with great trot- 

 ting action or speed. Still it is true that the best time-trotters 

 have not the round, high-stepped action which is prized in carriage- 

 horses, or parade-horses for show, and which probably originated 

 and existed to the greatest extent in the Flemish or the Hanove- 

 rian horse of the coldest of all imaginable strains of blood; and that 

 they have in a great measure the long reaching stride, the quick 

 gather, and the comparatively low step of the thorough-bred." 



THE NARRAGANSET PACER. 



It is supposed that this beautiful variety of the American 

 horse, which is now nearly or quite extinct, is descended from the 

 Spanish horse. There are several traditions afloat in support of 

 this and other theories, but by general consent it is admitted that 

 the above theory as to his origin is the true one. According to 

 this, he was introduced into New England by Governor Eobinson, 

 from Andalusia, and for many years the breed was kept up for the 

 supply of Cuba, the voyage being much shorter than that from the 

 mother country, Spain. These horses were of good size and natural 

 pacers, the action being on alternate sides, but remarkably easy, 

 which is more than can always be said of the modern rackers oi 

 pacers. As the roads improved, however, in the West India 

 islands, carriages were introduced, and then, the demand ceasing 

 almost entirely, the breed was neglected, and is now unkncwn in 

 its pure form. 



THE AMERICAN THOROUGH-BRED. 



Until the English Thorough-bred Horse is described, it is 

 scarcely possible to enter fully into the pedigree of the American, 



