350 HOESE-EACING IN FKANCE 



our neio-hbours across the Channel in this branch of business 

 was due above all to the influence of the races, which, kept up 

 by supplies of thoroughbred horses, caused a constant flow and 

 circulation oi inire blood, and thus more and more, year by year, 

 tended to improve the stock of horses by the agency of these 

 useful ' crosses.' The course to be followed, then, was very 

 simple : it was to profit by observations made during a period 

 of 300 years in England, to take advantage of ready-made 

 experience by adopting approved methods, without losing time 

 in looking about for some better solution of the question than 

 the English had obtained ; for there was no reasonable hope of 

 surpassing them in that. Nevertheless, as cannot be denied, 

 it is a very difficult matter to uproot certain prejudices in 

 France ; and we are unfortunately obliged to acknowledge that 

 all the old objections to processes employed in England, and 

 especially to horse-racing, have not yet disappeared. In fact, it is 

 easy to see, from the very moderate amount of the prizes allotted 

 to horse races by the Government, how small is the importance 

 attributed to them by the Administration des Haras. And yet 

 it is impossible not to admit that public opinion appears to be 

 making sensible progress in that respect. There is a general 

 desire to give the races further development ; this desire makes 

 itself felt more and more every day, and the Societe is but the 

 mouthpiece of all enlightened persons in declaring that it 

 regards these contests as the best means that can be employed 

 for purposes of improvement, and therefore thinks itself bound 

 to employ its power to the utmost in multiplying their numbers 

 more and more throughout France. 



By admitting only French tJioroughbreds, entire horses and 

 mares, to compete for the prizes given at the races, the effica- 

 ciousness of such encouragements, as aids towards improvement, 

 will be discerned before long : here, as in England, the 

 * thoroughbred ' will be propagated, and its influence upon the 

 whole stock of horses will soon be perceptible. France requires, 

 too, a 'half-bred' supply: well, by the crossing of our strong 

 native mares with thoroughbred stallions this result can be 

 readily brought about. . Let us offer, then, a sufficient reward 

 for the production of thoroughbred colts and fillies ; and that 

 such encouragement may be both sensible and advantageous, 



