108 TIPS AND TOE-WEIGHTS. 



wearing shoes, the inference was that he would not be an exception. 

 The objectors who presented the most logical reasoning based their 

 arguments upon his action. 



He has very little " action," when that term is used to express 

 bending of the knee and hock. He is rather a " short strider," and 

 when going at 3:30 gait is pi'one to hitch, sidle about, swing from 

 one side to another, and to a person who only saw him when jogging 

 he would convey the impression that he was unlikely to make 

 a fast trotter. When going fast he moves as squarely as it is pos- 

 sible for a horse to trot ; and the only thing I would care to remedy 

 is the shortness of stride. It certainly appeared reasonable to expect 

 that more weight on the front feet would remedy this, and it also 

 seemed that toe-weights would be beneficial. I tried weights on 

 diflferent occasions, and he would not trot so well, excepting in one 

 instance which will be given hereafter. In order to fully understand 

 his case it will be necessary for me to recite other peculiarities. He 

 was foaled where I reside, in Oakland, and I have the use of a lot of 

 about an acre. He and his dam occupied the lot without other com- 

 pany. The colored boy alluded to before was continually petting 

 him, and so much did he think of the colt, that he would permit him 

 to bite and play with him without correction. Before he was weaned 

 it was unsafe to go into the lot without a whip or stick to keep him 

 off. It was not much trouble to break him to harness, though from 

 the first he was stubborn, and severe punishment made him more 

 determined in his obstinacy. 



This was partly inherited, partly the result of familiarity between 

 the boy and Anteeo when a foal. The inheritance came from Bonnie 

 Scotland, who the English writers say was the most sluggish horse 

 in his exercise ever trained in England. I bred and owned two colts by 

 Bonnie Scotland which had the same disposition. They were brothers, 

 and the elder was completely spoiled by severity ; the younger, who 

 was treated with invariable kindness, outgrew the obstinacy and be- 

 came free and pleasant. The elder was one of the fastest horses I 

 ever saw, running a quarter of a mile in twenty-three seconds in his 

 training shoes and with his weight up, and apparently could go any 

 distance. Severe punishment resulted in utter worthlessness, either 



