194 THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 



were reversed — if she were in the first part of her season of ex- 

 citement, and he had not served a mare for a considerable time, 

 the conditions would favor the begetting of a female. 



Many horsemen attempt to discern the speed of a horse in his 

 form, and in his way of going. Various signs are relied on, by 

 those who know less than they think they do. but there is biit one 

 sign, and it is infallible ; it is that the horse goes fast when tried. 

 A shoulder that slants well backward to the withers is considered 

 a good point in any horse — but Messenger had upright shoulders, 

 and so have some very good trotters of to-day. A long back, with 

 an open flank between the hip and ribs, is thought to allow of a 

 long stride, and some good trotters have that conformation ; but 

 many others have short backs, and are ribbed close up to the hips. 

 Of these two forms, the last is the best, as it indicates that the 

 animal will keep in good condition on less food. Flat-sided horses 

 have trotted fast, but not because they were flat-sided. War Eagle 

 had that conformation, and though he trotted in the best of com- 

 pany, he was not an all-day horse. I drove him a year in a 

 country practice before he trotted in public, and did not consider 

 the narrow chest and small abdomen any advantage. A steep 

 rump is a sign that a horse paces ; but with the same form he may 

 be a trotter ; and in either case it has no relation to speed. The 

 hind legs may be more crooked or more straight than usual, and 

 the fore legs may be a little sprung forward, or a little set back, 

 like a calf's; the pasterns may be thick or slender, upright or 

 oblique; but none of these forms indicate speed, nor the absence 

 of it. Many fast horses are short in the rump — that is, from the 

 croup, or highest point, to the root of the tail. This is pretty 

 common among trotters ; but some that are not fast have the same 

 shape. 



In the way of going, there is as much difference with as little 

 significance. Some lift their fore-feet very high, with a great 

 deal of knee action ; others go fast, with a low, long stride. There 

 is a way of reaching out with the fore-feet, that seems utterly in- 

 compatible with speed. It is a long, pitching step, such as is seen 

 in horses trotting slowly and loftily in a field when startled. To 

 go fast the fore-feet should be struck at the ground, as if they 

 were pulling the horse along, whether the stride be long or short. 



If a horse stands with the toes of his fore-feet turned in, he will 

 paddle in trotting; that is, he will swing his feet out right and 

 left from a straight line ; and the foot that is most turned in at 

 the toe in standing will be most swung around like a paddle in a 

 mush-pot, in trotting. The movement is unsightly and objection- 

 able, but not absolutely incompatible with speed. If the toes are 

 turned out in standing, they will be turned in in trotting, and may 

 strike the opposite knee. This is so common in fast trotters, as to 



