188 A TREATISE ON HORSE-BREEDING. 



black was the prevailing color of the tall, fleet 

 Barbs of Nubia and Dongola, but these usually 

 had white legs. Grays, bays, browns, and chest- 

 nuts abounded in Southern Asia. 



Thus we see from what an infinite variety, 

 caused originally, we may infer, by differences 

 in climatic conditions and consequently of nu- 

 trition and habit, our domesticated horses have 

 been derived. And we can see here why ata- 

 vism should occasionally surprise us with a 

 reversion to the curly, frizzled hair, the black 

 dorsal streak, the rat tail, the parti-colored 

 hair, etc., among our domesticated breeds, and 

 what a formidable task has been the develop- 

 ment of distinct breeds from elements so diver- 

 gent. 



THOROUGHBREDS. 



In undertaking to write upon the breeds of 

 horses we very naturally commence with the 

 thoroughbred, because that is the oldest and 

 best established of all the breeds of Europe and 

 America. The term thoroughbred is often used 

 in America, but seldom in England, as a syn- 

 onym for well bred or purely bred; but it was 

 originally and should now be used only as the 

 name by which the English race horse is desig- 

 nated. The same horses are sometimes denom- 

 inated "blood horses," from the well-established 

 purity of their lineage. 



The thoroughbred horse is peculiarly a Brit- 



