THE TROTTER ON THE FARM. 



(Read at Stock Breeders' Meeting at Columbus, O., December, 1890.) 



The relation of all classes of horses to agriculture is a 

 close one, inasmuch as a large majority of them are bred 

 on farms by farmers. I shall therefore start out with the 

 assumption that the real meaning of "relation" in this 

 connection, is the profit arising from the pursuit of breed- 

 ing the trotting horse. 



It is true that the agriculturist has an interest in his 

 business above that of the simple sordid one of gain ; and 

 the elevating love of nature engendered by the annual 

 building of crops from seed sown by his own hand, is a 

 noble interest leading the thoughts upward, and teaching 

 the mind to wonder at the phenomenal power of the 

 Supreme Being. 



The trotting horse is an American citizen, needing no 

 naturalization papers or introduction. For general use 

 and business he is, next to man, God's noblest creation. 

 The draft horse can pull, the thoroughbred can run ; 

 neither can trot ; neither is adapted to the general business 

 of mankind ; one is a slow slug, the other treacherous and 

 flighty — a gambling machine. Whereas the trotting-bred 

 horse can pull your plow ; he can run as fast as is ever 

 necessary in business, and he can make you grow young 

 with the pleasure he affords in a "spin" down the smooth 

 stretch of road on your way home — such a "spin" that 

 opens your heart, makes you pat the baby on its head, 

 furnishes a kind word and a loving kiss for your wife, 

 instead of that desire to kick your dog after a slow, work- 



