BREEDING THE AMERICAN TROTTER. 181 



this test any pedigree that fails, no matter how much it has 

 been idolized, its value is fictitious, and its effects are injurious 

 to the breeding public. 



High strains of blood from a powerful race, coupled with 

 individual merit, constitute the standard of value with me. I 

 want no weeds as breeders, whether standard-bred or not. 



The breeding of the trotting horse has been likened to 

 catching a good wife in Paris, which, in turn, has been 

 described as grabbing for one eel in a basket of snakes, and 

 should not be entered into with the expectation of making it a 

 success by the careless and indifferent. 



To successfully breed the American Trotter, great skill, 

 care, patience, and perseverance are required, more so than for 

 the breeding of any other animal. The reasons are obvious. 



Firstly, it is a new breed scarcely fairly established, and to 

 firmly place it as a recognized breed the world over there can 

 be no more fooling or carelessness on the part of the breeders. 



SELECTING BREEDING STOCK FOB THE AMERICAN TROTTER. 



In selecting breeding stock as the foundation of a stud for 

 the purpose of breeding the American Trotter the judicious 

 breeder will discriminate between the speedy, flashy weed, and 

 the horse of both speed and stamina ; between the little 

 homely, ungainly animal (even though holding the world's 

 record at the time) and the good-sized, symmetrical, beautiful, 

 level-headed, well-bred animal, that would attract attention 

 anywhere, even though the latter has not attained as fast a 

 record as the little plug-ugly before mentioned. 



The American Trotter is the most modern of all the breeds 

 mentioned herein, and, whatsoever others may say, there is still 

 great need of an established type in this American horse, a 

 more uniformity in likeness, size, speed, disposition, and 

 general characteristics ; and the breeder who does most to 

 secure all of these will also secure the thanks of the horsemen 

 of the 20th century. 



Size, color, disposition, and soundness should not be* sacri- 



