72 TUE HORSE, 
hand, but for this there is now no provision. ‘There is no doubt that 
when half-bred races were in fashion numerous exchanges of foals took 
place, by which thoroughbreds were made to appear as half-bred and vice 
versd. But though the pseudo half-bred may be able to compete with the 
winner of the Derby or St. Leger, and though his appearance may be 
almost proof* positive of the purity of his blood, yet he is excluded from 
the “ Stud-Book” for ever. In this way some of our half-bred stallions 
are known to be of pure blood, and their stock is of great value in the 
hunting-field, but no one would breed from a mare of this kind because 
he would know that Mr. Weatherby’s pages are shut against him, and he 
could not claim that her produce should receive the seal of purity afforded 
by that gentleman’s pen. 
INCREASE OF SIZE AND SYMMETRY. 
THE SIZE AND SHAPE of the racehorse of our own days are superior to 
those of the early part of the last century, as far as we can judge of the 
latter by a comparison with the portraits painted by Stubbs and his 
cotemporaries. In point of height there can be no question, for we have 
numerous records of the number of hands which may be ascribed to the 
celebrities of the age of Charles II. and his immediate successors. 
Out of 130 winners in the middle of the last century, only eighteen 
were fifteen hands and upwards, whereas now, a winner below that height 
is a very great rarity indeed, even among the mares. This increase of 
size is doubtless mainly due to the influence of the Godolphin Barb, who 
was himself larger than most of the Eastern sires, and got stock of a 
still greater height. His son, Babraham, was fifteen hands high, then 
considered an extraordinary development ; and of the eighteen winners 
mentioned above as being fifteen hands and upwards, elevep were by the 
Godolphin Barb or his sons. The average at present may be fixed at fifteen 
hands three inches, as I have already shown at page 12. As far as shape 
is concerned, the modern horse has profited by the long-continued and 
careful selection which has been made of sires and dams. Every 
breeder has considered good blood a sine gud non, but to this he has 
added a frame as well adapted as possible to the requirements of the turf. 
The improvement has chiefly been in the length and slope of the 
shoulders, and in the length of the arms and thighs, the head also being 
a good deal attended to, but perhaps as often improperly chosen. No 
doubt the muzzle can hardly be too fine, but with a small one are often 
coupled a narrow forehead, and a contracted jaw, two defects of the 
greatest possible importance ; the one interfering with the amount of 
nervous eneigy, and the other with good wind. There is no disputing 
the perfection of shape of the modern English racehorse, and I believe 
that, perhaps with the single exception of the greyhound, he is the most 
beautiful animal in creation. Indeed, under certain conditions, he is 
superior to his canine rival; because he can be so excited as to induce 
him to display his shapes better than the greyhound, and his superficial 
veins, being more readily seen when distended, add greatly to his fiery 
and spirited appearance. I am very doubtful whether the choice of 
shape has always been correct, and especially in selecting shoulders and 
quarters. Many breeders have had a fancy for the high croup which is 
so constantly seen among the Arabs, but which I cannot help fancying 
to be a defect. A very sloping quarter is almost equally bad, but of the 
two extremes I much prefer it. Our modern trainers are quite aware of 
