26 



suit of this principle -was an animal longer in. boay, <^_, beautiful as its 

 ancestors or more so, but less satisfying to the eye of the competent 

 judge, because they were less muscular, their tendons not as free, the 

 withers sharper but less powerful. The proof, that endurance has 

 decreased, lies in the fact that these horses could not run over the long 

 courses of their ancestors and consequently only one half the distance 

 of the former courses has been adopted for most flat races. Speed was 

 desired and obtained ; but something of the old and incomparable breed 

 should have been retained in order to be able to fall back upon it, when 

 the World recognizes its mistake. 



Another circumstance must be mentioned here. Under the old sys- 

 tem, as a rule only the fittest horse could win, but in the present races 

 with very young horses for a short distance, when the real contest is 

 limited to a stretch of two or three hundred yards, much depends upon 

 the rider, and if the horses are not too unequal, the outcome is wholly 

 in the hands of the jockey. If he can depend upon the endurance of his 

 horse, he may easily distance all his competitors ; on the other hand, he 

 will try to save the strength of his swift, but readily exhausted 

 animal, until near the end of the course, and then at once rush toward 

 the finish before his adversary could gather himself for the last 

 exertion. 



Among the great race horses of the earlier part of the nineteenth 

 century, were Colonel, who was foaled in 1825. In 1828 he ran a dead 

 heat -with Cadland at the Derby, beating Zingare and seventeen others. 

 He also won the St. Leger at Duncaster over Beldine, "Velocipede and 

 seventeen others. He was sold to King George the fourth for 4000 

 guineas. 



Fleur de Lis -was raised in 1822 by Sir Ridley. She was by 

 Bourbon, a son of Sorcerer, out of Lady Rachel, the latter by Stamford, 

 her dam was Young Rachel by Volunteer out of Rachel, a sister to 

 Maid of all work, and originated from High-Flyer on both sides of her 

 parentage. Bourbon had been a winner 17 times in 23 races. Fleur de 

 Lis was in size and conformation the most beautiful throughbred mare 

 ever seen in Kngland. She "was fully 16 hands, beautifully propor- 

 tioned and possessed an inexhaustible strength, "which she showed 

 particularly toward the end of her races. 



The breeding of thoroughbreds for the race course, is continued 

 "with great zeal, but a spot in the pedigree is not a cause for anxiety, as 

 much as it was formerly and before long horses like Hotspur, Marl- 

 borough Keck, Lady Superior, Courouch and other half bred horses 

 and their descendants will have to be admitted to the stud book. 



THE HUNTER. 



The hunter should not be under 15 or over 16 hands in height ; if he 

 measures less, he will not always be able to follow, and more than 16 

 hands is apt to make him awkward. 



The more the country is cultivated, the faster the hunt is ridden. 

 The trail of the fox is deeper and the scent lies better on cultivated 



