110 THE BBEEDS OF LIVE-STOCK 



an armored knight. Among other edicts enacted in the 

 reign of Henry VIII, was one limiting the size of sires 

 to be used to not less than fourteen hands. 



The horse as a feature in the sports of the times is first 

 mentioned in the latter half of the twelfth century, when 

 races of a primitive character and mounted sports were 

 conducted at Smithfield, as a recreation for the people. 

 The first race reported was run between Richard II and 

 the Earl of Arundel in 1377. Henry VIII was the first 

 king who raced horses for his own amusement. In 1580, 

 the horses of Great Britain were classified by Thomas 

 Blundeville as follows : " a breed of Great Horses meete for 

 warre and to serve in the field," "ambling horses of ameane 

 stature for to journey and travel by the waie," " a race 

 of swift runners to run for wagers or to gallop the buck " 

 and " a breed only for draftes or burden." It is important 

 to note that at this early time horses were extensively 

 used for racing and hunting. They were undoubtedly the 

 descendants of the Barbs and Turks, which are known to 

 have been in Great Britain at an early date, the Arab not 

 having been introduced until 1616. Racing increased in 

 popularity under James I, who imported the first Arabian 

 for the purpose of breeding horses of greater speed. After 

 the example of James I, other and frequent importations 

 of Arabians, Barbs, and Turks were made from the Orient 

 and Spain. By the time of Charles I, the sentiment in 

 favor of racing had become so strong that much concern 

 was felt for the defense of the kingdom, as sp little atten- 

 tion was then being paid to the production of the Great 

 or War horse. 



The real era of the Thoroughbred is usually dated from 

 the time of Charles II (1660-1685). He not only took an 

 active interest in racing, but imported direct from the 



