178 ON RUNNING HORSES 



exifl no documents on that head earlier than 

 the reign of Anne, when fportfmen were by no 

 means io particular in the relation as in the 

 prefent day. Although flying Childers was 

 doubtlefs a high-bred hoiTe, and the integrity 

 of his blood the more to be depended upon, 

 from the circumftance of his having been bred 

 in and in, we may eafily deteft the bafkrd 

 blood in the irregular fliapes exhibited in 

 portraits of the running horfes of thofe days ; 

 and your Bay Boltons, Lampreys, and Bonny 

 Blacks, would miake but a poor figure over the 

 courfe, againd the " terrible, terrible, high- 

 *' bred cattle" of the prefent time. 



A true racing pedigree, according to the 

 rule of the prefent time, ought to prove under 

 the' hand of the breeder, that the horfe has de- 

 fcended from anceftors of genuine racing blood, 

 without the intervention of a fmsfle ballard 



, o 



crofs. If the pedigrefe be long, it is common 10 

 take it for granted that there is blood I'ufficient, 

 althoucrh there be no mare mentioned in it, 

 which has proved her blood by her having ac- 

 tually raced ; but ufually all the horfes are re- 

 puted runners or brothers of fuch. The greater 

 number of mares w^hich have raced, contained 

 in a pedigree, the furer and more valuable, no 

 doubt it mufl: be, particularly if the lafl:-men- 

 tioned be fpecified as a reputed racer, or a 

 natural Arabian or Barb. A pedigree of one 

 fmgle defcent is held fufficicnt, when the fire 



and 



