4 THE TURF 



despised, but the great point is whether the horse has 

 speed, stamina, constitution, soundness, and other 

 attributes calculated to render its offspring worthy 

 upholders of the family ; and this can only be ascer- 

 tained by submitting the animals to the ordeal of 

 preparation and testing them on the course. An 

 infusion of thoroughbred blood confers special and 

 peculiar benefits on those so endowed, whether 

 chargers, hunters, hacks, or carriage horses. The fact 

 has been constantly made obvious when horses of 

 what may be described as the royal strain have drifted 

 out of their own class and been put to try conclusions 

 with their coarser bred cousins. The "blood" horse 

 — thoroughbred or even half-bred — that comes to carry 

 a soldier or a sportsman in the hunting-field may not 

 have the size and scope of some of his companions, 

 and may not look so well able to bear weight ; but as 

 a very general rule his action and courage will 

 unmistakably prove what his breeding signifies. 



As is generally known, the racehorses of to-day are 

 almost exclusively descended from three sires — the 

 " Godolphin Arabian," the " Darley Arabian," and the 

 " Byerly Turk." The history of the importation of 

 these three animals has been told so often that it would 

 be superfluous to repeat it here. Previously to this, 

 horses were introduced into England from all quarters 

 of Europe ; and it seems nowadays rather curious to 

 find that many came from Italy, the horsemanship of 

 which country was at one time so highly esteemed 



