Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-18
The American Horse at Home and
Abroad.
IN. 7. Evening Post

IN. 7. Evening Post
Tne news OF the winning of the Grand PrIx at
Paris by Mr.. Keene's horse Foxhall has probably
greatly deepened whatever sensation was pro.
diced In England by the winning OF the Derby
by 1rcquois Most Americans have received
the news with sort Of triumphant mirth, very
Ike that with which they receive the news Of a
DaseoSu vlct0ry In match In which they are
interested. But in England no such light view
Is likely to be taken Of 1t, because in England
norse-raclng means business to O very large
fhan Oh lne larger class indeed
ing circles In England are such huge circles that
there is not, we believe, Q single newspaper, not
professeoly religious, which does lot feel bound
10 cater for them, not simply by printing reports
OF race meetings, but by editorial discussions
OF the past and coming "events" on the race
course which display all the gravity and care
market. 1t Is hardly an exaggeration to say
that horse racing, with the accompanying bet
ting, 1s one of the leading modes OF employing
employed comes but little way behind the
three or four great staple industries. The ap.
pearance In the field Of American horses as
successful competitors for great European prizes
out 10 stimulate the breeding and training or
thoroughoreds and put up the price of prom
Is ng colts: The United States having now be-
c me In English eyes the land OF all SORTS OF
nys' er10us possibilities. American horses Of all
sorts will probably receive increased atteni ion.
d 10 ind q better market. For a few years BAG (
We ae, export OF american horses to England has
teen searching the country pretty closely for q
certain class OF carriage horses. Racing vic
q re $ are very likely to bring the American
sac horse also into demand under his own
name. English farms have for good while
ceased to be able to supply the home market.
The elaborate 81 stem OF agriculture In vogue
land and this country supplies most horses-of
raising colt or two In an easy domestic way
on every farm OF any size. The consequence
has esen that Irish horses and particularly
reputation In the English market, SO that of
late years 1t has not been uncommon for Amer
lean dealers to turn their expectations into
irish horses when they reach Liverpool.
The late victories will probably help to dis
sipate any prejudice which still fingers there
against American saddle horses. 1t Is very
ionaDle than trotting, and cause more money
to be put into it than hitherto. The American
pre:eminence In trotting, which no foreigu
nation makes any pretence Of disputing, or
even approaching, somehow eXciteS but little
interest IN Europe, and Is not likely to afford
materials for international triumphs. The
American trotter is regarded in England with
one OF our Ingenious machines. There is some
color OF Ieasonableness, too, in this, because
trott1ng Is unquestiOnably an inherited and
highly cultivated knack, rather than an exercise
OF the highest natural power Of locomotion.
When the foreigner reads that Maud S's tremen-
dous speed has been largely got out of her by put
Ting very heavy weights on her fore feet, ne not
Yankee Ingenuity than Of Yankee horsebreed-
ing. The trott1ng horse, too, is somewhat dis
cred1ted for purposes OF amusement by the fact
that excellence in trotting has but little con-
nectien with external beauty. OF course. a
great trotter Is apt to have good pedigree and
some external signs OF his power, but plenty or
coed trotters have neither, and some look as il
they were only ft for ragpicker's cart, The
thoroughbred galloper Is, however. almost Al.
ways beautiful animal, from whose visible
points his speed and bottom are inferrible with
lalr degree OF accuracy. and he is therefore an
speed Is probably the finest display OF animal
grace aid vigOr the civilized world can pro.
ouce, ard watching him doing his best makes
Ing and picturesque kind of holiday. He is a
genuine Anglc-SaXon product, although the
outcome OF 5000 years OF careful breeding be-
fore Anglo.Saxons were ever heard OF. There
Is ABOUT him, TOO, great fascination In the
1act That he Is the one d0mesticated animal In
which careful breeding has developed a vital
energy which closely resembles moral quail
piled to him, means that when called on Ia his
special business he will do or die; that is, put
1orth all bis powers to the last gasp.
IL Is not very Wild speculation to suppose,
also. that American success in running races
may do much to revive and stimulate here the
use OF the saddle horse among the overWorked
class who are willing to pay something for
eASA SASiSAoC~ uC tAOtlluS uOIS6 mas ALREADY
In the large cities greatly fallen out of favor
with the " ealthy youth. The young man with
the diamond shirt pin, and fast trotter and light
wagon, is much more rarely seen than he was
even ten years ago. He has gone into coaching
and polo, and the pursuit OF the aniseseed bag
across country. Since the downfall OF the
tIe1 en- Empire he has begun to take
his ia fashions from London, aud he is
rapidly acquiring enc OF that best OF
Die the fttest place for man who
eeds exercise and wishes 10 get over ground
rapidly: THIS is great change for the better
me saddle seems really the final cause OF the
horse, and electricity may eventually drive
him out of harness altogether, and con1lne him
70 the capacity In which he has rendered m IN
the longest and best service. He began to
carry man on bis back many ages ago, AMI
there Is nothing he does go well Or which seems
70 come so natural to him. Then, too, how
ever 1t may have been In Horace's day, In our
time Black Care has ceased to sit behind the
horseman. She rides In buggies and hacks,
and In almost every species OF wheeled vehicle,
and goes much on foot, but she is now seldom
seen on her old pilIion behind a mounted mau.
''My cook" said Lord Palmerston, us an ass,
but my doctor is q horse" and there is Ger.
tainly no more successful medical practitioner
than the saddle horse.