298 NAVIN ON THE HORSE. 



sucli perfection been attained. The race-liorse of the present 

 lay is said to be of purely Eastern origin. He is descended 

 'rom imported horses — from Arabians, Barbs, and Turks. 

 A.mong the most celebrated imported horses may be men- 

 tioned an Arabian, imported in the reign of Henry I, 1121, 

 vhich was the first importation on record of Eastern stock. 

 Che next well authenticated importation took place in the 

 •eign of James I. An Arabian was first tried, but con- 

 lemned ; then the White Turk, and shortly afterward ap- 

 Deared the Helmsley Turk, and then Fairfax's Morocco Barb. 

 it was not until this period that the true value of the East- 

 ern blood began to be appreciated. 



At the Restoration a new impulse was given to racing, 

 md Charles II sent to the Levant and purchased brood- 

 mares and stallions. These were principally Barbs and 

 Turks. Private enterprise was not idle, of course, and other 

 importations were at the same time made. In the latter 

 part of the reign of Queen Anne, Mr. Darley imported the 

 Darley Arabian, from which the English stock was still fur- 

 ther improved. From him descended Flying Childers, Bart- 

 lett's Childers, Almanzor, and others of celebrity. The de- 

 scendants of the Childers were very numerous. Among the 

 most noted were the younger Childers, Blaze, Snap, Samson, 

 and Eclipse. There were a host of others, however, of much 

 merit. Eclipse was the fastest horse of his day. He never 

 lost a race, and never paid forfeit. He was a thick-winded 

 horse — a roarer. He left a numerous progeny, of which three 

 hundred and thirty-four proved to be winners. He died in 

 1789, at the age of twenty-five years. 



After the Arabian stock had been raised to repute by the 

 Darley and his descendants, the Godolphin Arabian, which 

 was really a Barb of great beauty and action, was picked up 

 in France and brought to England. Much of the finest racing 

 blood of Great Britain is descended from him. 



The English thorough-bred is the Eastern horse, brought to 



