DETERIORATION IS FROM THE ARAB 83 



sums up a chapter on the foundation of the English 

 thoroughbred by a set of conclusions, of which the 

 fourth is that every English thoroughbred is an 

 exotic, coming on both sides from some foreign 

 stock without any cross of English blood. It is 

 very hard to say that there is no English blood at 

 all in him ; indeed, I do not think that is correct ; 

 but Mr. De Vere Hunt says that Roger de Bologne, 

 Earl of Shrewsbury, is recorded to have estab- 

 lished ' the race of Spain ' about the time of the 

 Conquest. 



Now, the race of Spain was Barb or based 

 upon Barbs. After referring to the lightness of 

 the Norman horses at the Battle of Hastings, 

 as compared with the heavier stallions afterwards 

 imported from Flanders by King John, from which 

 he says that our truly noble breed of active dray- 

 horses have sprung, Mr. De Vere Hunt states that 

 it is rather to the introduction in 1121 of such 

 animals as two Arabs which he mentions that we 

 are indebted for a valuable cross. Note this date — 

 A.D. 1121. 



Mr. De Vere Hunt also supports the view that 

 there were records of the repeated introduction of 

 Turkish and Barbary horses down to the time of 

 James I., who, he says, not being content with the 

 efforts made to improve the breed through Turk 

 and Barb stallions, dealt with a merchant named 

 Markham for an Arab horse at the then enormous 



6—2 



