210 THE TJiOTTINO-nORSE OF AMERICA. 



took along more weight by 651bs. than Palmer and Colum 

 bia did in their matches, and 'more by 841bs. than Palmei 

 and Peerless did in their best trial. An addition like either 

 of those to weight already high makes a vast difference, 

 ^fhe English had a theory once, that weight was of no mo- 

 ment in trotting ; and some of the best horses they ever had, 

 such as Archer and Ogden's mare, carried about 1681bs. in 

 their performances, although the matches were made catch- 

 weight. It is fturious that they should have cherished such 

 a delusion ; for in reference to running-horses they appreci- 

 ated the effect of weight closely enough. About the close 

 of the last century, however, some of the more reflective 

 began to doubt this maxim ; and when Eobson's mare Phe- 

 nomena came out, she being a very easy-going-trotter and 

 no puller, they got a boy out of the racing-stables at New- 

 market, and practised him in the riding of her. They soon 

 found out the difference between 1681bs. and the compara- 

 tive trifle that the boy rode. The mare won her two matches, 

 doing seventeen miles in fifty-six minutes in the fijst, and 

 seventeen miles in fifty-three minutes in the second. Her 

 owner then offered to match her to trot nineteen miles and 

 a half in an hour ; but the backers of time declared they had 

 had quite enough of Phenomena and her boy from Uew- 

 uiarket. 



