THE THOROUGHBRED 21 



that he could be heard some distance. He was of fine disposition, 

 and in a race he took his own gait, rushing along with his head 

 down, indifferent to his jockeys, who found it impossible to hold 

 him in. Eclipse sired three hundred and thirty-four winners of 

 races. He died in 1789, aged twenty-five years. This horse was* 

 a direct descendant of the Darley Arabian, and the very best of 

 British and American racing-horse blood traces its source from 

 these two great sires. 



Of these three English-bred stallions Eclipse as a breeder 

 was most important, especially in the male line of descent, while 

 Matchem was least so. The influence of both the oriental and 

 English sires on the creation of the Thoroughbred as a breed 

 has been very profound, but without doubt numerous females 

 have had an important part. However, much less is known 

 of the personality and breeding of the mares than of the sires. 

 C. Bruce Lowe, in an elaborate study of speed lines of many great 

 Thoroughbreds, compiles a list of forty-four important foundation 

 mares. At the head of that list he places first TregonweWs 

 Natural Barb Mare ; second, Burton s Barb Mare ; third, Dam 

 of two True Blues. 



The origin of the Thoroughbred commences with the union 

 of Arabian, Barb, and Turkish blood with the lighter type of 

 English horse. From this amalgamation came great stamina, 

 remarkable speed, unusual endurance, and great symmetry of 

 form. No other European breed of horses at the present time 

 shows so much purity of breeding as does the Thoroughbred, 

 notwithstanding the early combination of blood. For many years 

 animals recorded in the " General Studbook " have been regarded 

 as free of all impure breeding. 



The conformation of the Thoroughbred is distinctive. The head 

 should be fine and lean and moderately small, bearing evidence 

 of quality and breeding ; eyes prominent and intelligent ; ears of 

 medium size, not too wide apart, and carried in a lively manner. 

 The neck should be long, the upper part from withers to poll 

 being about twice as long as the lower part from point of shoulder 

 to larynx, and strongly muscular. The shoulders should slope 

 obliquely back to a notable degree, be strongly muscled, and 

 extend back to form high, fairly close, long withers ; no collar 



