The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-03-03
The Breeding Problems.

W. c. Marshall, Esq, of Belfast, writes
Horse Breeders Monthly:
In the first place | maintain that breed
ing trotters is not an exact science and
probably never will be. so that breeder
can mate an untried sire and an untried
dam and produce with certainty definite
rate of speed. If both parents are speedy
and their records below 20 it is not GER
tain that the progeny will be equally fast.
There is a mystery that probably never
will be solved in the operations of natural
laws in these matters. Results vary, and
the progeny of the same parents are fire.
quentlv entirely unlike. 1t is we'll. per
haps. that this uncertainty exists. Ii one
could breed speed to a certainty the fas-
cination that now attends breeding would
exist no longer To try to breed a trotter
is somewhat like taking ticket in lot
terry, and as it is human nature to love the
excitement and uncertainty OF taking
chances" it is no wonder there are so
many men all over the country taking a
hand in the breeding venture. y ct there
are many breeders. or writers, who claim
that breeding is almost certainty and
that trotter of $50 or = 20 speed can be
bred every time by the scientific breeder
That may be true in certain cases. If the
breeder has a mare that has shown her
self invariably producer of speedy trot-
tiers and couples her with a stallion who
has demonstrated his ability to get trot-
tiers, it is almost certainty the progeny
will have speed. But how is it about tie
untried ones? suppose Arion and Nancy
Hanks are mated, is there any certainty
that trotter Of equal speed will be the
result?
But still there is a reasonable probable
ity as to the result of careful and scientific
breeding. There is comparative safety
for the breeder who knows thoroughly
the history of the trotter and will pro
perly apply the facts in his own eff
forts to raise trotterS. He will fully
realize that the bottom principal upon
which he must base his efforts at breeding
speed is heredity The law is we'll estab-
lished for horses as for human beings that
Like produces like OF the likeness of
some ancestor. Blood is all important
Pedigree must be considered. 1t has been
demonstrated that in certain strains of
blood there resides the element that gives
speed. The breeder must get the blood
if he would seek after the greatest degree
of certainty.
Just what this is that gives speed is not
thoroughly known. The common phrase
is ''trotting INSTINCT but l don't like
that definition, | prefer to call it trotting
power OF speed capacity. Most all quad
Iupeds have the instinct to trot. as also
the instinct to run and the instinct to
walk All colts will trot when they can
make the speed they desire at that gait :;
when they wish to 90 faster they run.
power than another he will maintain a
trot while another by his side. not having
tie power equally. will have to run In-
stinct has had nothing to do with that re-
suit. Some say it is the will that makes
the difference and one writer has asserted
that any horse that had the will to trot in
, 80 could do so. All the will power pos
sible will not produce speed at the trot I'M
less the horse has the nerve power, and the
conformation adapted for trotting speed.
And the greatest of these is nerve power.
conformation is important. and Vet so
fan as the eye OF the most skillful expert
can see speed cannot be predicted with
certainty from conformation ''Horses
trot in all shapes. and a horse with APP
parently perfect conformation may not
have speed. while another of different and
inferior conformation may be a trotter.
Let ten horses appear on the track to trot
race, and let the best expert look them
over and pronounce upon their merits as
to conformation. would his Judgment set
tie the question as to which would prove
the winner? Without seeing them move
and without knowledge of the horses.
could any expert pick the winner? Gait
depends much on conformation and vet a
horse MAY have perfect gait and not be
very speedy Often we see horses with a
long open stride good roll of the knee.
and III fact perfect action. that can ''get
there. Why? Because they have not got
the trotting power that gives rapidity of
stride. Length of stride is important but
rapidity of stride is much more important.
If one horse puts in five strokes while an
other puts in four-the latter must have a
much longer stride to equalize the speed
Length of stride depends largely upon
conformation-rapid of stride depends
upon the nerve power that contracts the
muscles and repeats with lightning rapid
ity this contraction. Muscles, of course,
of the right kind are necessary, but the
expert cannot predict with certainty what
the speed of horse may be from an ex-
animation of his muscles.
Now what is this nerve power and from
whence comes it? AS well ask what is
the electric power and from whence it
comes. AS the electric current runs along
wires and moves the great wheels of
machinery to produce speed and power,
so the nerve current passes along the
nerves to the muscles to give them the
movements that result in speed This
nerve power belongs to the organism OF
the individual and varies in quantity if
not in quality. 1t is in greater or less
force in the organism according to the
blood constituting that organism. Hence
in breeding for trotting speed one should
dam in reference to their blood lines
The blood in which this trotting power
appears to be resident in largest album
dance is the blood to use with greatest
certainty of success. For instance if to-
day one We're to. select an inbred stallion
he would take Arion in preference to all
Others. Not because Arion has greater
muscular power, better trotting conform
alton or more perfect trotting action than
all other stations, but because he has de-
monstrated that he has naturally great
er abundance of trotting power than any
other. Training did not create this as
his training was less than thousands of
other colts have had. 1t was in his organ
ism, latent but ready and easily to be put
to work. Will he impart this generally
to his progeny? That is question that
time only can solve. But there is a great