23 



keciure II. 



THK THOROUGHBRED. 



The origin, of the thoroughbred horse has been much disputed ; some 

 say that its ancestors are pureby Oriental, others assert that it de- 

 lineates from the native horse, the breedof which was improved and per- 

 fected by judiciously crossing with the Barbe, Turk, and Arab. The 

 stud book, an acknowledged authority, traces the pedigree of all the old 

 racers to Oriental origin, or to a period of which the records are lacking. 

 If the pedigree of a runner of to-day is demanded, it is traced back 

 to a racer of renown, or it begins with an Oriental sire, or in darkness. 



It must be admitted on the whole that the present English thorough- 

 bred is of foreign origin, improved and perfected by the influence of 

 climate and careful culture. There are however exceptions, as Samp- 

 son and Bay-Malton, a crossing with common blood having taken place 

 in both instances, though they were the best horses of their time. In 

 some of the best racing stables and particularly in the studs of the Earl 

 of G-rosvenor and Kgremont this was an established principle. The 

 British climate and good judgement have made the thoroughbred wha^ 

 it is. 



During the last century great attention was given to the pedigree 

 of the race horse. In the pedigree of almost every noted runner, not the 

 slightest defect can be discovered, and if with the brilliant exceptions 

 of Sampson and Bay-Malton, a- drop of common blood was mixed with 

 the pure strain, it was at once expressed and recognized in the inferior 

 conformation or lack of endtirance, and from two to three generations 

 were required to remedy the defects and their consequences. 



The race horse excels through its beautiful Arabian head, its fine 

 and well connected neck, its long slanting shoulders, well built hind 

 legs, broad muscular quarters, its flat, and from the knees down, rather 

 short cannon bones, which, by the way, are not always as broad as they 

 might be, and its long and elastic pasterns. 



Darley'sArab was the sire of the best racing stock. Mr. Darley 

 bought him at Aleppo, he was foaled in the neighboring desert of Pal- 

 myra. 



s The immediate descendants of this invaluable horse were the Devon- 

 shire or Flying Childers; the Bleeding or Bartlett's Chilaers, Almansor 

 who was never trained and others. 



Through the two Childers, the blood and the fame of their sire was 

 spread broadcast; they sired other Childers; Blaze, Snap, Sampson, 

 Eclipse and a multitude of excellent horses. 



The Devonshire or Flying Childers, so called by his breeder Mr. 

 Childers of Carrhouse, "was the fleetest horse of his time, he was after- 

 ward sold to the Duke of Devonshire. At first trained for hunting, his 

 extraordinary speed and fire caused him to be placed on the race course. 

 He ran over the round course of Newmarket (3 miles, 6 furlongs and 

 93 yards) in six minutes and forty seconds, and covered the Beacon 

 course (4 l-S miles and 158 yards) in seven minutes and thirty seconds. 



