author's experience. ' 313 



took with me to the Dimon Stock Farm, Pomfret, Conn., in 

 1866, and was afterwards the dam of Confidence, Fanny Allen, 

 etc. I used this mare as a roadster, and once in making con- 

 nections with a train I was obliged to run her for all I dared to 

 in harness. She ever after that whenever I came out and got 

 into the buggy with my " go-to-city " clothes on would pick up 

 her ears and listen both ways for the sound of a train, and if 

 the whistle sounded near enough to make it necessary for her 

 to hurry she would fairly fly in order to be there in time. I 

 once had her throw a shoe between my head and that of an- 

 other with enough force, I think, to knock us off the seat had 

 it chanced to hit either of us. 



This mare would unbutton barn doors and would unfasten 

 the horse barn door by pulling out the pin holding the hasp, 

 and then unhasp and open it. She would also open grain chests 

 and do various other tricks ; and once, on having her young colt 

 get hung in a stone bridge, she came galloping to me as near 

 as she could get, and told me very plainly in her own language 

 that something serious had happened, needing my immediate 

 attention. 



Another brood mare of mine on the above farm was the 

 bay mare, Cora Linn, a Hambletonian mare by Gage's Logan, 

 and the dam of Cora Dimon, Governor Dimon, etc. "We used 

 her on a milk-wagon in the town of Putnam, and so well did 

 she learn the route that she would not pass or skip a single 

 customer if allowed to have her own way. If we lost a cus- 

 tomer she would try stopping there for about three times, 

 after which she would try to pass that place at a high rate 

 of speed. 



Another sagacious mare owned by me was Fanny Kenyon, 

 by Ehode Island. She was intelligent and patient enough to 

 untie any halter knot that could be tied. She would also open 

 doors, gates, chests, etc. She was the dam of that fast road 

 horse, Colonel Sprague, by Sprague's Hambletonian. 



Once, while raking hay with a wheel rake with this mare in 

 my orchard, I left her tied to an apple tree long enough to ad- 



