54 THE NARRAGANSETT PACER. 



their progeny invariably paced, but when bred to trotting or 

 running sires they either trotted or ran, as the case might be. 



The Narragansett Pacer soon became an established breed 

 in Khode Island, and as the people of those times had neither 

 carriage roads or carriages' or steam cars, what traveling was 

 done was either accomplished on foot or on horseback, and 

 men frequently rode from fifty to sixty miles per day on one 

 of those beautiful, easy-going saddlers, over hills and through 

 dales, following the rough and stony bridle paths of New Eng- 

 land at that period of its history. 



These horses were said to be remarkably sure footed. The 

 pure bloods (as they were called) could not be made to trot at 

 all. They used them in races as long ago as 1720. Little 

 Neck Beach, on the Narragansett shore in South Kingston, one 

 mile in length, was used as a race-course. 



In about the year 1725 they came to be looked upon as 

 an established breed, and from that time until 1760 were in 

 active demand for export to Cuba as saddlers, and were sent 

 for at much trouble and expense by some breeders who were 

 choice in their selections. 



A chestnut mare of this breed having been taken to Ver- 

 mont, U. S., in 1807, and bred to that most wonderful horse, 

 Justin Morgan, the result was his most celebrated son, Sherman 

 Morgan, foaled in 1809, who took the trotting gait of his sire 

 and the color and beauty of his dam. 



Such finally became the demand for these horses for export 

 that the breeders " killed the goose that laid the golden egg " 

 by disposing of not only their surplus but most of their breed- 

 ing stock, as well. 



By this time, however, the country having been supplied 

 with better roads and the people with carriages, the saddle 

 horse was less sought for at home, and horses that could trot 

 became more popular and in better demand than those of the 

 pacing gait, and horses of this breed were then trained to trot 

 in harness and pace under the saddle. I can well remember 

 descendants of this breed of horses, crossed with other breeds, 



