250 THE HORSE IN HISTORY 



expressed himself ready to ride for a wager any 

 horse that might be brought to him, and, if need 

 be, to ride it bareback. 



In his after life, as we know, this strength of 

 will of his grew gradually into senseless obstinacy, 

 yet he never lost his nerve for riding over a 

 country, a fact the more remarkable when we 

 reflect upon the sort of life he came to lead as 

 he grew older. 



The descriptions we have of the race horses he 

 bred are somewhat contradictory and must there- 

 fore be received with caution. That he imported 

 many fine mares from Barbary is certain, also it is 

 certain that at regular intervals he sent abroad 

 competent judges with instructions that they 

 should secure for him, regardless of cost, the 

 best animals obtainable. 



From among the best of these were selected 

 the stud that came afterwards to be known as the 

 Royal Mares, a designation they bear in the 

 stud-book to this day. The dam of the famous 

 Dodsworth — one of the earliest of all our 

 thoroughbreds — was included in the royal stud, 

 and its pedigree has been authenticated beyond 

 dispute. 



Emphatically Charles II. did more to encourage 

 horse racing than any other monarch after Henry 

 VIII. had done, and by comparison he did much 

 more than Henry VIII. by any possibility could 

 have done, the very best racing in Henry's reign 



