THE SADDLE BREEDS OF HORSES 119 



other hand, his supporters maintain that his speed, stamina, 

 courage and nerve force may be relied on to bring one 

 in safely when others fail. It is said that he does not get 

 " doppy " at his fences, but will jump, as well as gallop, 

 on his courage when fatigued, and that altogether his 

 performance is more in keeping with the sport than 

 that of his colder-blooded contemporary.. A logical 

 conclusion seems to be that the Thoroughbred horse 

 is best adapted to a Thoroughbred rider (Fig. 18). 

 As stated by one authority, " Thoroughbreds are horse- 

 men's horses," and one who understands their disposition 

 and eccentricities is not likely to be satisfied with any 

 other kind of a mount ; while, for those less accomplished 

 in horsemanship, and satisfied with a more moderate ride, 

 the horse which has his fire cooled to some extent by a dip 

 of plebeian blood is more suitable. 



132. Use for crossing. To estimate properly the full 

 utility value of this race, it is necessary to consider, in 

 addition to the service which individuals of the breed have 

 rendered in performance on the flat and cross country, the 

 great influence of the blood in union with that of other 

 stocks. Notwithstanding the fact that this horse has 

 been the creation of generations of sportsmen, with speed 

 performance the standard of selection, it is the potency of 

 his blood when blended with common, native stocks which 

 is of greatest value in the production of market horses for 

 use outside the realm of sport. In all but the draft breeds 

 the influence of the Thoroughbred may be demonstrated. 

 In the heavy-harness division, the foundation blood lines 

 of the recognized breeds are significant. The Hackney 

 descends from Shales, a son of Blaze, Thoroughbred, out 

 of a strong common mare of Norfolk. Thoroughbred sires 

 have produced from native French mares the half-blood 



