180 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The most famous of these is the Race, or Blood, or Thorough- 

 bred horse, descended through many generations from oriental 

 stock. It must not be supposed, liowever, that all Thorough- 

 bred horses, or even any of the modern ones, are of pure eastern 

 blood, since there is much uncertainty respecting the pedigrees 

 of the celebrated horses of the olden time. Thus in the pedi- 

 gree of Eclipse there are at least thirteen mares mentioned of 

 luiknown blood. 



A Thoroughbred liorse of the present day is one whose name 

 is found in " the Stud Book" where the pedigrees of all are 

 carefully recorded. 



The superiority of the English Blood horse over the Arabian 

 was well established more than a hundred years since, and 

 during the past century no Arabian horses have distinguished 

 themselves either in the stud, or on the turf. So inferior in 

 speed and stoutness are they, that horses of pure eastern blood 

 are allowed to carry, in running, thirty-six pounds less weight 

 than English horses and yet they very rarely, if ever, win a 

 race. • 



The three oriental horses whose influence seems to have been 

 greatest in the production of this remarkable breed, are the 

 Byerly Turk, who was owned by Captain Byerly, in Ireland, in 

 1G89 ; the Darley Arabian who was imported into Yorkshire 

 from Aleppo by Mr. Darley in 1712 ; and the Godolphin Barb, 

 who was first employed in the stud of Lord Godolphin in the 

 year 1731. All the renowned racers of modern times claim 

 among their illustrious ancestors one or more of these horses. 



The three English horses which have been the sires of the 

 largest number of winning racers and have consequently been 

 regarded as most influential in the improvement of the breed, 

 are ]\Iatchem, King Ilerod, and Eclipse. 



Matchcm was foaled in 1748 and became the sire of three 

 hundred and fifty-four winning horses, who won purses and 

 plates to the value of more than $750,000. 



King Herod was the most succe^ful stock horse ever known, 

 having got four hundred and ninety-seven winners whose 

 earnings on the turf amounted to more than $1,000,000. He 

 was a horse of fine appearance, with great speed and power 

 though not always victorious like his great grandsire Flying 

 Childers. Herod was foaled in 1758, and his descendants have 



