THE BREEDS OF HORSES. 193 



many supposed to be the foundation of the 

 strict thoroughbred. This is, however, only ap- 

 proximately correct, for it is well known that 

 several other mares were from time to time in- 

 troduced from the Orient and that the produce 

 of many mares not descended from nor related 

 to these royal mares have been distinguished 

 upon the turf and recognized as thoroughbreds. 



About the middle of the eighteenth century 

 the publication of the English Racing Calendar 

 was commenced. In this the names of all the 

 horses that participated in the regular races 

 were published, and in a very few years it be- 

 came the custom to give also the name of the 

 sire in each case. This publication has been con- 

 tinued, with very little change in form or mat- 

 ter, down to the present day, and the records of 

 performances and names of performers therein 

 contained furnished the basis for the stud book 

 of thoroughbred horses. A collection embrac- 

 ing all the pedigrees of distinguished horses 

 that could be obtained was published as early 

 as 1786. Subsequent to this several attempts 

 at a compilation of pedigrees from the Racing 

 Calendar and other sources was made, but it 

 was not until 1791 that the English Stud Book 

 took its present form. 



The standard of admission to the first volume 

 of the Stud Book appears to have been simply 

 creditable performance upon the turf, as shown 



