50 THE HORSE. 



trernely useful, but deficient in what we cull "quality," in propor- 

 tion to the absence of thorough blood. 



THE AMERICAN TROTTER. 



The true modern trotting horse is a most remarkablo 

 instance of what may be dime by keeping an animal to one kind 

 of work for generations, and selecting the specimens best fitted for 

 it to breed from. In this country a thorough-bred horse, or even 

 one of nearly pure blood, could not be found at any price to trot a 

 mile in three minutes, yet in America there are plenty, of blood 

 almost entirely derived from the English turf horse, which will 

 perform the distance in two minutes and forty seconds, and some 

 in considerably less time. In America private and public trotting 

 matches in harness have been for many years the chief amusement 

 of the town population, and, until very recently, when flat racing 

 or running, as it is called there, has been more developed, a fast 

 trotter fetched a higher price than any other description of horse. 

 Trotting matches are, in fact, the national sport, just as racing is 

 that of our own country. Latterly, however, the amusement has 

 been somewhat on the decline, the aristocratic classes holding them- 

 selves aloof, and patronizing the turf in preference. Still there is 

 no diminution in the pace of their trotters, and, on the contrary, 

 the celebrated Flora Temple has recently made the best time on 

 record, having, on the 15th of October, 1859, when fourteen years 

 old, done a third mile heat in two minutes, nineteen and three- 

 quarter seconds, and having, in June, 18G1, performed three sepa- 

 rate mile heats in the wonderfully short time of seven minutes, 

 six and a half seconds.* 



Mr. Herbert, in his quarto work on "The Horse of America," 

 clearly shows the reason why our transatlantic cousins excel us in 

 their trotters, and why they take to this species of amusement in 

 preference to others. After enumerating several which do not 

 appear to us quite so cogent as to him, he more pertinently says, 

 '' Another reason, inferior in practical truth to the others adduced, 

 but physically superior, is this, — that before American trotters 

 could be generally used in Great Britain, the whole system of 

 British road-making must be altered, which is not likely to occur. 

 On an ordinary English macadamized turnpike, which is exactly 

 the same as the hardest central part of the New York Third Ave- 

 nue, without any soft track alongside of it, an American trotter 

 would pound his shoes off in an hour's trot, and his feet off in a 

 week's driving ; and this is doubtless, whatever may be said of the 

 objections heretofore offered, one which must operate for ever 

 against the general use of trotters after the American fashion, 



* Since the above was written the renowned "Dexter" has eclipsed all 

 previous records, having trotted three separate mile heats in 6m. 5s., and a 

 mile in thi- unprecedented time of 2m. 17{s. — Editor. 



