Section III 

 VARIETIES OF THE HORSE 



ENGLISH BREEDS 



The Thoroughbred. — A really good Thoroughbred is beyond all 

 question the most valuable horse in the world, as not only is an animal 

 of this description capable of winning a fortune for his or her possessor 

 on the turf, or at the stud, but there are few other breeds of horses which 

 are not capable of being more or less improved by a dash of Thoroughbred 

 blood. At the same time, a difference of opinion unquestionably exists 

 amongst experienced horse-breeders as to whether the Thoroughbred of 

 the present day is the equal of the illustrious heroes of the past, whose 

 records are affectionately treasured up by racing men, and whose 

 achievements are indelibly impressed upon the memories of race-goers 

 of a bygone generation. Upon one point, however, there can l)e no 

 question at issue, namely, that the modern race-horse is required to 

 prove his value upon the turf under totally different conditions from those 

 which existed in the past. The ancient and barbarous custom of running 

 races in long heats has happily fallen into discredit, the tendency of the 

 present age, until a very short time ago, being to devote the programmes 

 of race-meetings almost entirely to short scrambles of under a mile; but 

 recent Turf legislation has pronounced against this practice, with the result 

 that longer races appear on every card. This unquestionably is for the 

 benefit not only of the British Thoroughbred l>ut of the Turf, as the results 

 of five and six furlong races are very often more de23endent upon the 

 skill of the jockey in getting away than upon the speed of his mount, 

 whilst the question of a horse's stamina can never be settled if he is not 

 asked to go more than a mile during his racing career. 



It has been argued too, and with a considerable amount of justice, 

 that the practice of forcing yearlings for sale, and confining the young 

 stock, and adults likewise, in hot unhealthy stables, is not calculated to 

 improve their stamina and constitution. Yearling races, however, are now 

 unknown events, whilst our two-year-olds have also been taken beneath 

 the sheltering wing of the Jockey Club, so that it is illegal to run them 



