Page:Hints to Horse-keepers.djvu/49

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GENERAL RULES.
41

some of them excellent judges—entertain the opinion that the Priam cross has done permanent mischief to the horse stock of America, as it is alleged that nearly all, if not all his get, although they have large, flat, bony knees, are tied in, as it is technically termed, immediately below the knee, at the origin of the splint bone. This malformation is one of the most serious that can exist in a race or family of horses, as it renders them liable, and, in fact, almost certainly so, to break down, when put to any severe stress of work. At all events, it is indisputable that the blood of Priam has not "hit" or "nicked" with the best racing blood of America.

To take another instance, Glencoe, another distinguished English runner, of equally distinguished blood, though of a distinct strain, being the son of Sultan, son of Selim, and of Trampoline, daughter of Tramp out of Web by Waxy, was imported into this country a few years later than Priam, with equally high expectations of success, which have in his instance been fully realized, if not exceeded; for his stock are of the very best now running in the country. Therefore, we say emphatically, that the Glencoe stock has "hit" most eminently with the old blood of America, which, it must always, however, be remembered, is, in no respect, so far as it is pure blood, American or of American origin, but only descended from the earlier importations of the old English blood of the days of Janus, Eclipse, Highflyer, and the sons of Childers, and the Godolphin. Now, why one blood should "hit" and another "miss," when each strain is equally rich and pure, and when each has produced an equal number of distinguished performers, no one can say positively; no distinct reasons have ever been assigned, nor, theoretically, can any principle be laid down on the subject. The blood of Priam, as it has been shown, above, "hit" with the fashionable