2y4 ANNALS OF THE TURF. 



sports of the turf on the most liberal and equitable basis, and let her, 

 in order to give increased value to her racing stock, speedirly pub- 

 lish a Stud. Book. 



Origin and progressive improvement of the race horse. It cannot 

 but be an interesting task to inquire into the origin of the turf 

 horse, and to ascertain the means by which he has been brought 

 to his present high state of perfection. The English writers main 

 tain the theory, that the horse genus was supposed to have consist- 

 ed originally of tv/o grand divisions or species : the silken-haired, 

 flat, and fine bone courser, and the full bodied, coarse, and rough- 

 haired steed, adapted to draught and themore laborious purposes. 

 From these two original species may fairly be derived all those 

 numerous varieties which we at this day witness in different parts 

 of the world. Soil and climate most undoubtedly have considerable 

 effects, through a long course of ages, in producing varieties of 

 form, colour, character, and properties. The largest horses are 

 generally found to be the production of the rich low lands of the 

 temperate climates, abounding in rich and succulent food. The 

 fine skinned, with elegant symmetry, dry and solid bones, large 

 tendons, and the highest degree of muscular energy, in fact, bearing 

 the general characteristics of the blood horse, are bred under warm 

 and southern skies, upon a dry soil, on the hills of the desert. The 

 hypothesis is entertained, that Arabia is the native or breeding 

 country of the courser, and that part of Europe, formerly denomil 

 nated the Netherlands, or Low Countries, the original soil of the 

 large draught horse. Other writers, however, contend, that all 

 horses are derived from the same single primitive species, and that 

 varieties are purely accidental and the effects of varying soil and 

 climate. This opinion, however specious, is not sanctioned by 

 facts and experience in allowing full force to the arguments derived 

 from the effect of soil and climate, yet it is equally true there are 

 certain landmarks and boundaries of specific character, in both the 

 animal and vegetable creation, which nature will never permit to 

 be passed. 



No length of time or naturalization upon the marshy soil of Bel- 

 gium, it may safely be pronounced, would be sufl^icient to transform 

 the high bred, silken and bounding courser of Arabia, into the 

 coarse, blulF and fixed horse of the former country ; nor would the 

 sojournment of the latter, during any number of ages, in the south, 

 have the effect of endowing him with these peculiar properties of 

 body, which distinguish the aboriginal southern horse. The inter- 

 change just supposed, would no doubt have the effect of increasing 

 the bulk of the courser and reducing that of the draft horse ; but 

 the natural characteristics of each, would remain unassailable by 

 any other medium than that of intercopulation through which 

 we know from experience they may be merged, and in effect an- 

 nihilated. 



Arabia Deserta is allowed to be the breeding country of the purest 

 and highest bred racers ; that is to say, possessed in the highest de- 

 gree of those qualities which distinguish the species ; and tiiese are 

 sleekness and flexibilivy of the skin, and general symmetry from the 

 liead to the lowest extremities. The eye full and shining, the head 



