312 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



which their certificates possess, would have 

 been an object of the first importance to them. 

 Yet, upon reflection, we see no reason to doubt 

 the truth of their not keeping stud-books, as 

 from the care and superstitious reverence in 

 keeping the breed spotless from any foreign 

 taint, their certificates may possess generally 

 the truth, without keeping a register for every 

 individual. 



We shall proceed to enumerate the variety 

 of Horses under their different appellations. 

 For example : — the racer or running-horse, 

 the cock-tail racer, the hunter, hack, hackney 

 road-horse or chapman's horse, the cob, the 

 lady's horse or pad, the coach and chariot- 

 horse, gig-horse, charger and troop-horse, the 

 slow draught or cart and dray-horse. In 

 sporting language, the term Horse indicates 

 one uncut, or a stallion. Gelding has ever 

 been a common and familiar term. A Horse 

 below thirteen hands (four inches to a hand) 

 in height, is styled a poney ; above that 

 height, and below fourteen hands, a gallow- 

 way. The cob, refers to a truss, short-legged 

 nag, able to carry any weight. The pack- 

 horse has long since disappeared from among 

 us. The cock-tail, a new term in the slang of 

 the inferior turf, indicates a racer not thorough 

 bred. The welter horse, a term of long stand- 

 ing, but of unknown derivation, points to either 

 racer qr hunter, master of the highest weight. 

 The designation thorough-bred belongs to the 

 racer of pure Arabian or Barb blood ; and the 

 term is likewise applicable to the Horses of 

 other nations of the South East. A nag, in 

 which the show of blood predominates, is 

 called blood-like, or a blood-horse. The de- 

 grees of blood in an English Horse are thus 

 expressed, half-bred, three-parts, and seven- 

 eightlis bred. The first, or half-bred, being 



the produce of a racer and a common mare. 

 or vice versa (the last cross not so frequent, 

 nor deemed so successful) ; the second of tiie 

 racer and half-bred, and the third of the racer 

 and the three-part bred mare. This last may, 

 and has raced capitally, as in the case of the 

 Yorkshire black Horse, Old Sampson, which 

 about eighty years since beat all England. 

 Several other similar examples of successful 

 seven-eighths bred racers, have occurred at 

 various periods. Perhaps no instances have 

 ever occurred, of a three-part bred Horse 

 saving his distance in running; two miles with 

 thorough-bred racers. 



The Horse and Mare, in a course of nature, 

 are capable of procreation at a very early 

 age, but not with the prospect of their best 

 produce. The rule in this case necessarily 

 depends on the convenience of the breeder ; 

 the procreative faculty, with both Horse and 

 Mare, remains to a very late period of their 

 lives, more especially with the Horse, some 

 individuals having been successful stock-get- 

 ters at upwards of thirty years of age. Four 

 years is generally the earliest period, whether 

 for Horse or Mare. Indeed, unless from par- 

 ticular circumstances, the Mare is seldom put 

 to the Horse, until she has passed some years 

 of labour, or has become accidentally incapable 

 of it. It is probable that the excessive labour 

 which they endure in this country has cur- 

 tailed their length of days ; and that under 

 more favourable circumstances, both their age 

 and their services might be greatly prolonged. 

 Racing and cart colts are put to light labour 

 at three, and even at two years old ; but sad- 

 dle and quick draught Horses are incapable, 

 that is to say with safety, of the usual labour, 

 until five years of age. From the excessive 

 and cruel system of labour adopted, against all 



