2 ORIGIN AND SIZE OP 



found among our thoroughbreds. First-class barbs 

 appear to have been animals standing 15h. 2in., not 

 very strongly built, but having fine trotting and gal- 

 loping action, and, moreover, possessed of indomitable 

 courage and endurance, but at the same time inclined 

 to be restive ; or, in the phraseology of old writers, 

 * difficult of management.' It has been asserted by 

 some that our thoroughbreds have been descended 

 from Eastern mares and horses. But there is no evi- 

 dence of this ; and, moreover, there certainly are two 

 or three gaps in the pedigree of Eclipse that prince 

 of the stud-book. 



But, apart from this, we have evidence that in the 

 early part of the seventeenth century racehorses, and 

 successful ones, were bred from barb stallions out of 

 English mares, and that such a cross invariably de- 

 feated both the pure-bred English, and pure-bred barb 

 horse. This can readily be understood from the happy 

 combination of the fine quality, action, and courage of 

 the barb, with the finer size, length, and stride of the 

 English mare. 



There cannot be the remotest doubt that the charac- 

 teristics of our thoroughbred stock have very materially 

 changed since these days. 



The fine pastures, liberal diet, and careful and judi- 

 cious crosses have all tended to produce the noble 

 thoroughbred that we sometimes see, with all the fine 

 size, power, and action necessary for all purposes for 

 which the animal horse can be required, combined 

 with the finest quality of his eastern ancestors. 



