THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 119 



Trotter, and that we can no longer afford to experiment with 

 outside issues or outside breeds or families. 



The trotting-bred horse is not an animal simply for racing 

 or for wealthy gentlemen to drive fast on the road, but he 

 raises the general standard of the horse for all work. I used 

 trotting-bred horses for heavy farm work on clay land in 

 Indiana with greater success than with heavier, cold-blooded 

 mongrels. 



Their quick stride and great endurance is apparent to any 

 observer. They are capable of a greater amount of work, and 

 will do it quicker and much more intelligently than the horse 

 without breeding ; and, as a horse's capacities for work are in- 

 creased, his value is accordingly increased. 



There are but two nations of the earth that possess a race of 

 animals known as the trotting horse. One of these nations is 

 Russia, the other is America. In the first-named country we 

 find an animal proceeding from the Arabian, crossed, it is said, 

 upon the Flanders stock, and called the Orlof trotter. It is 

 certain that this animal is a Russian production, while the 

 American Trotter is surely an American production. 



The American Trotter, as he should be bred, and what our 

 market demands, is a horse of good size, style, and action ; a 

 handsome horse, and, above all, of good disposition and sound 

 constitution. 



Then, if he can be trained to trot in 2.20 or less, he may be 

 used for pleasure or for gambling purposes. Failing to be fast 

 enough for track purposes, he is still a useful and profitable 

 animal for the use of man, and his breeding is not a failure. 



But if we breed for speed alone, without the other consid- 

 erations, and get a little animal that is not a fast trotter, what 

 then ? "Why, we have an animal that is of but little use to the 

 breeder and that no one wants to purchase at any price. The 

 breeders of such animals soon become overstocked, and the cry 

 goes forth that the bottom has fallen out of the breeding 

 business, whereas it is only the false bottom that has dropped 

 out. 



