92 The English Horse. 



trying to eradicate base blood and defects by the en- 

 grafting of pure blood on the male side for eight 

 descents, is a very unsafe one to rest upon. Its being 

 open to question is unsatisfactory; it is opposed in prin- 

 ciple to the experience of the Arabs, the most renowned 

 horse breeders in the world ; contrary to their practice, 

 and, so far as I see, has nothing to recommend it. 



Should the desired result be attained even in the 

 eighth generation, and there should not be any appre- 

 ciable difference from the original pure stock, it is quite 

 possible that the eighth descent might not be capable of 

 handing down to posterity through succeeding genera- 

 tions the primal characteristics of its originator. It is 

 far more probable that in each succeeding generation, 

 after the infusion of the pure blood on the male side 

 had ceased, the attributes so derived would grow fainter 

 and fainter. The greatest test of pure breeding is 

 stoutness and endurance, combined with a high degree 

 of speed. 



' Look in a horse' (says Abd-el-Kader) 'for speed and 

 bottom ; one that has speed alone, and no bottom, must 

 have a blemish in his descent ; and one that has bottom 

 alone, and no speed, must have some defect — open or 

 concealed.' 



It is often asserted, and very generally allowed, that 

 our thoroughbred has deteriorated and become degene- 

 rate, and some have urged this degeneracy has taken 

 place from the system of early training which has been 

 pursued, rather than from any fault or deficiency in the 

 breedincr of our horses. 



