36 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
Since the early years of the present century (1806) when a horse of 
unknown breeding trotted a full mile under saddle in the then almost 
incredible time of 2:59 (but one second better than three minutes), the 
records show a series of descending steps—each step a tablet to the 
memory of some once famous horse. 
Flora Temple, the first to beat 2:20 in 1859, Dexter, Goldsmith 
Maid, Rarus, St. Julien, Jay Eye See, Maud S., and Sunol, the pres¬ 
ent queen of the trotting turf by virtue of her 2:08)^, have each in 
turn lowered the world’s mile record at the trot; while among pacers 
the record drops from that of Roanoke—first to beat 2:20 in 1852—past 
Pocahontas, Billy Boyce, Sleepy Tom, Little Brown Jug, and Johnston, 
to the 2:06 of Direct, the black California wonder that has earned and 
now holds the world’s mile record at the pace. And the end is not 
yet; better tracks, better trainers, better horses will be seen this year 
than ever before. With Doble to pilot Nancy Hanks, Williams behind 
Allerton, and Marvin to guide the peerless Sunol, we may expect to 
chronicle faster time than yet recorded at the trot; while Roy Wilkes, 
Johnston, and Direct will all be found in touching distance of the pres¬ 
ent world’s mile pacing mark. 
To one who watches closely it is no surprise to find that horses may 
be taught to carry such terrific speed at a gait not natural for extreme 
exertion; but to those who see the record only, knowing nothing of 
the methods used in blood lines or in training to accomplish the result, 
it can be little less than wonderful. By many it is thought the train¬ 
er’s art should credit take for all the progress made; by others it is 
argued better tracks alone must be responsible; others still, not satis¬ 
fied to credit track or trainer with the total good accomplished, claim a 
further reason in our better understanding of all those physical and 
mental traits of the individual animal which make selection possible 
and development practicable. Brain capacity in the horse is of vital 
moment to the trainer, as is brain capacity in the student to the teach¬ 
ers under whom he seeks instruction. The sluggish, stupid brain of 
dullard, horse or human, will never show that firm yet plastic nature 
fitted best to carry knowledge. The brain one-sided in its make-up 
may receive instruction fairly well, but when forced to execute beyond 
a certain limit falls by reason of its lack of balance, and fails to hold 
the mastery at the very moment when the muscles, strained beyond 
the power to respond in reflex action, most have need of mind control. 
A first essential for the horse that carries highest speed at artificial 
gait is a brain with ample room for strain in mental exercise—a perfect 
poise, that neither loses interest by lack of work in competition, nor 
overthrows its balance by undue excitement. The horse that “ keeps 
his head ” can be urged to greater effort and will break but rarely, 
catching quickly at the gait desired in obedience to the driver’s will; 
while the horse with mental poise at best uncertain, carries his gait 
